Homemaker Services

Does a loved one in your life need help around the house with chores, errands, or housekeeping? Have you been trying to keep up with all of the household management tasks, but could use a little more help? Homemaker services may be the perfect option.

• What are homemaker services?
• Why is home management and cleanliness important?
• What are the benefits of homemaker services?
• How can you tell if your loved one needs help around the house?
• Here are the answers to these questions and other things you need to know about homemaker services.

What are Homemaker Services?

Also known as chore services or companion care, homemaker services help people age in place with assistance rather than moving into an assisted living facility or nursing home. Homemaker services help with tasks such as housekeeping, organization, and transportation to important appointments.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
“Loneliness and social isolation in older adults are serious public health risks affecting a significant number of people in the United States and putting them at risk for dementia and other serious medical conditions...Social isolation significantly increased a person’s risk of premature death from all causes, a risk that may rival those of smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity.”

Why Are Homemaker Services Important?

A clean home, healthy meals, and organization is critical for a person’s physical and mental health. Failing to eat properly can lead to weight loss and illness. Being unable to get to the grocery or to scheduled doctor’s appointments can mean a decline in health.. When a person can no longer perform their own homemaker tasks, they may need a care professional to help them.

What Types of Services Are Included With Homemaker Services?

Homemaker services will generally include:

• Housecleaning
• Laundry
• Ironing
• Washing dishes
• Bagging garbage and taking out trash
• Making beds and changing linens
• Shopping for household essentials
• Organizing household routines
• Reading and writing tasks
• Meal preparation
• Menu planning
• Serving meals
• Escorting to MD Visits

What Is the Difference Between Homemaker Services and Personal Care?

Personal care, while extremely important, does not provide the same assistance with household chores that homemaker services provide. Personal care provides assistance with bathing, grooming, dressing, eating, transferring and toileting.
However, don’t discount the importance of personal care at home.

According to Hana Ames with Medical News Today:

“Good personal hygiene involves keeping all parts of the external body clean and healthy. It is important for maintaining both physical and mental health. In people with poor personal hygiene, the body provides an ideal environment for germs to grow, leaving it vulnerable to infection. On a social level, people may avoid a person with poor personal hygiene, which may result in isolation and loneliness.”

What Are the Benefits of Homemaker Services?

Homemaker Services have many benefits, including:

• Ability to age in place. Homemaker services are often enough to let an elderly person live comfortably and safely in their own home for years without needing to go to a nursing home or assisted living facility.
• Enhanced quality of life. When seniors can stay in their own home and maintain a degree of independence while still getting the care they need, they can have a significantly better quality of life.
• Personalized needs. Your loved one gets exactly the care they need. They aren’t left alone for long stretches if they need a lot of help, or they aren’t bothered by constant attention when they only need a little help here and there.
• Lower cost. Most of the time, homemaker services cost less than an assisted living facility or a nursing home - sometimes significantly less, especially if your loved one only needs assistance a few hours a day.

How to Tell When Your Loved One May Need Homemaker Services.

Some red flags that may indicate your loved one needs personal care at home include:

• Unsually messy home- trash piling up, clutter in walkways, dishes in the sink, laundry not completed, floors that need to be cleaned, bathrooms that aren’t being properly cleaned, linen that needs to be washed.
• Not eating regularly- no food in the refrigerator, unable to manage grocery shopping, spoiled food on counters or in the refrigerator, relying on canned soups or microwavable meals, eating only snack foods, no fruits or vegetables.
• Car accidents, tickets, or losing their driver’s license may mean a loss of independence since your loved one will struggle to get to appointments and run errands if they can’t drive themselves.
• Falls or falling hazards inside the home pose a serious threat to safety. Personal care can help your loved one get around their home more safely.
• Isolation can lead to loneliness, depression, more health problems, and a decreased quality of life.

What to Look for When Hiring a Homemaker Service.

Are you concerned about trying to find the right home care provider? Here are some things to consider as you embark on your search for the perfect provider:

• Is the agency licensed by the state?
• What type of employee screening does the agency do?
• Are caregivers accredited, insured, and licensed?
• Does the agency’s staff seem helpful and friendly?
• Will you receive a written care plan?
• How are problems resolved?
• What policies are in place for emergencies?

If you’re searching for the right homemaker service, let us help you. We know how important it is to find care for your loved one’s needs. Contact us today to learn more about our homemaker services.