Why In-Home Elder Care is Right for You

According to the Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA), over 8 million Americans rely on long-term elder care, with the majority of them (4.7 million people) opting for home health agencies instead of nursing homes and other residential care facilities. Despite the fact that in-home elder care is the most popular long-term care option in the United States, it’s not always the best option for every person. Finding the right care plan for you or your elderly relative can be extremely overwhelming. Expectations surrounding cost, health history, comfort, preferences and other circumstances must align to achieve the ideal care scenario.
With 80 percent of elderly people receiving assistance in private homes rather than institutions, there is something to be said about home-based elder care over other options. The primary draw is that it’s the only care platform that doesn’t require an elderly person to go through a major transition. There’s no move, no new housing costs and no new rules. In practice, this means reduced stress levels, reduced costs and higher levels of patient satisfaction. In this guide, we’ll look at some of the facts about in-home senior care to help you decide if it’s best for your unique situation.
 

WHAT IS IN-HOME ELDER CARE?

In-home elder care is placed under the broader category of long-term care. The FCA defines long-term care as services designed to aid patients when they have a chronic condition, trauma or illness which limits their ability to complete everyday self-care tasks. These tasks are often referred to as ADLs—activities of daily living—and may cover bathing, eating, getting dressed or taking medication. As we age, many of our basic everyday tasks become too challenging without assistance, and elder care can help us maintain independence and quality of life.

Under the long-term care umbrella, in-home elder care focuses on providing seniors medical care and assistance within a private residence. Caregivers who work at home health agencies may be certified health care aides, registered nurses, certified caregivers or relatives who have taken on the role of caregiver. They’re able to perform an assortment of personal and medical services, including monitoring vital signs, ensuring that the patient stays on top of medications and supervising injuries or post-surgery care.
But perhaps one of the greatest benefits of in-home elderly care is that your caregiver can help you maintain a certain level of independence through various personal care services. Caregivers might perform housekeeping, errands, cooking, shopping and assistance with dressing and grooming. Usually, a dedicated caregiver is also able to provide transportation to and from appointments and assist with cooking. Most importantly, good caregivers provide their patients with companionship, and many become close friends or members of the family over time.
 

TYPES OF IN-HOME CARE

As with any type of elder care, in-home services come in various different tiers, from a few hours of scheduled assistance per week to full-time care. Determining which type of residential care is most appropriate for your needs comes down to how much assistance you require and your budget. Naturally, the more time and dedication required, the higher the cost of services. The great thing about partnering with a well-vetted senior home care service is that you can build a relationship with a temporary or part-time caregiver and then decide if you’d like to hire the company full-time.

• Live-In Care—Live-in caregivers provide around-the-clock care, performing personal duties, medical duties or both. Usually, the patient provides the live-in caregiver with room and board as well as a fair living wage, which may be covered by Medicaid, private insurance or paid out of pocket. You can opt to have a live-in caretaker temporarily—such as if your primary caregiver is on vacation or if you’re recovering from an injury—or permanently.

• Hourly Care—Hourly care doesn’t necessarily mean less care, it just means that your caregiver works on a set schedule and might rotate shifts with other aides. Those caregivers who work on an hourly basis do not live in your home. For aging individuals who need flexibility—such as those who might need more care one week and less the next—an hourly caregiver is a smart, cost-effective solution.

• Post-Operative Care—In-home post-op care is a short-term care solution that will help you heal after trauma, surgery or an extended stay in the hospital. Getting back to your normal routine is difficult if you’re limited by pain and other physical constraints, so having an extra set of hands to assist with everyday tasks is invaluable during this time.

THE BIGGEST BENEFITS OF IN-HOME CARE

The simplest way to determine whether you should partner with a home health service is to look at some of the many benefits compared with nursing homes or assisted living facilities. Here are a few of the common reasons why many aging adults prefer to receive long-term care in their homes.

• It’s Cost-Effective—In general, elderly patients spend less when they choose home care over assisted living facilities or nursing homes. According to the MetLife 2011 Market Survey of Long-Term Care Costs, the average annual cost of a nursing home is $87,235 for a private room, while the average annual cost of home care with a home health aide is $21,840. There are many more financial factors to consider, so we’ll cover the cost of in-home care more thoroughly below.

• It’s More Comfortable—If money is a prime consideration, know that you can save money in a nursing home if you opt for a semi-private room, but even then that only saves you roughly $9,000 per year. For seniors who are used to living independently in a private space, staying in the home where they already live is usually the more comfortable option. Luxury assisted living facilities do exist, but they come at a premium—sometimes to the tune of $250,000 in entrance fees alone.

• It’s Less Stressful—Older adults are some of the most well-equipped to handle change and transition, but they’re also the most susceptible to stress-related physical setbacks. In fact, seniors are at a particularly high risk for developing relocation stress syndrome (RSS), a syndrome that causes anxiety, loneliness, confusion and hopelessness after moving. Keeping an older adult in his or her home lessens the stressors associated with liquidating, selling a home, packing and moving.

• It’s More Personalized—When you opt for an in-home caregiver, you’re essentially hiring a dedicated aide whose primary goal is to give you the one-on-one care you need. The best in-home elder care companies start with a free in-home assessment to help you determine exactly which personal and medical services are most tailored to your needs.

• It Reduces Burden—From touring, vetting and cost-assessing nursing homes and assisted living facilities to planning and executing the move, taking the facility care route can be a major burden on yourself and those around you. Additionally, professional in-home care can lessen the load for your children or family members who might spend much of their time assisting you with everyday duties.

• It Prioritizes Independence—Besides the obvious cost savings, the primary reason why many older adults prefer to stay in their homes as they age is because it provides them with a certain amount of independence. With the proper support system, most elderly individuals find that they’re able to maintain the same schedule, diet, hobbies and activities as they did before seeking in-home care.

THE COST DEBATE: IS IN-HOME CARE REALLY MORE AFFORDABLE?

Let’s get back to cost for a minute. There seems to be an endless amount of information out there comparing the cost of in-home care with nursing homes and assisted living centers. To ensure that you’re getting the best and most accurate information possible, make sure that you’re looking at numbers collected by independent and third-party research entities. It’s also important to note that care facilities typically charge by the month, while in-home care services typically charge by the hour.
Another important facet of determining cost is understanding that it fluctuates widely by state and the level of care needed. Those who require more time, medical products, meals and general care will, of course, incur a higher cost burden. The fact is that nursing home care will run you roughly $83,000 a year, and that in-home care costs about a fourth of that on average. Even if you wanted to employ an around-the-clock, live-in caregiver, you’ll only be on the hook for about $48,000 a year or $4,000 a month, with assisted living ringing up for about $6,500 a month on average.
Still, there are some benefits to care facilities over in-home care. Notably, elderly care systems generally bundle in a range of services—extensive meal plans, medical care, transportation, activities and some housekeeping—for a set price. Usually, because the price of housing itself is higher than living at home, the cost breakdown is still higher than in-home care. However, some elderly adults prefer the simplicity and straightforward aspect of the flat fee, even if it may not be the most cost-effective.
 

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT SENIOR CARE OPTION

It’s clear that remaining in your own home has a range of benefits over living in a residential care environment. But, as previously mentioned, not all older adults should resign to in-home care. The decision comes down to many factors which should be discussed with your family and network of doctors. The following questions will help you decide if in-home care is ideal for you.

• • Do you require special care? If so, consider that certain caregivers and facilities might specialize in helping you with your particular condition. For example, many assisted living facilities offer memory care programs for patients with Alzheimer’s and dementia.
    

• • Are you happy in your current living situation? If you’re comfortable and thriving at home, there’s no reason to leave! But if you find that your space has too many physical constraints, sad memories or challenges, or if you don’t feel safe at home, a monitored facility may be best. You can always have in-home care services come to a new residence or apartment as well.
    

• • Are you socially stimulated? Any kind of care option will help you connect with others on a personal level, whether caregivers are visiting your home for several hours a day or interacting with you in a shared living environment. Different care solutions have different social options and expectations, so make sure to consider that in your decision-making process.
    

• • What’s your monthly care budget? As you can see from this guide, the cost of elder care varies wildly, so budget will likely be an important deciding factor. Speak with your area’s aging agency if you need advice on covering the cost of care with Medicare, Medicaid or Veteran’s Affairs.
    

• What do you want out of your everyday life? At the end of the day, care is about helping you maintain good health and happiness as you age. Understanding what you want out of life—maybe it’s the freedom to do what you want all the time or the excitement of planned activities—will help you narrow down the best care options.

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