As we grow older, we often forgot the people around us are growing older as well. This includes your parents and your grandparents. As much as we love them, we simply cannot personally care for them 24/7 as we have work and our own families to tend to. Availing a personal care service does not signify abandonment but establishes love for your family member since you are trying your best to make ends meet and provide the care that they need.

When Should You Avail Personal Care Services?

Some people are not comfortable with this choice but we need to be reassured that they can stay healthy and safe for as long as possible. The help of a personal care service (PCS) ensures us that our family member is being well-taken care of and is safe from any possibilities of harm.

What is PCS? Personal care services are specially designed to meet the needs of people who need some help in their daily activities while staying in the comfort of their homes. Personal care services include maintaining a good physical look, keeping your physical health intact, safe and secure mobility support, and offering assistance with everyday health care needs. Health care includes treating injuries, diseases, and preventing illnesses through preventive care and medical procedures. The services offered by several agencies include but are not limited to personal care products such as manicure and pedicure equipment, beauty products, massages and treatments, and other similar items. Personal care services are available for people of all ages – there is no age minimum or maximum.

Listed below are the things you should be on the lookout for if you’re wondering when should you avail of personal care service for your loved one or yourself.

  • Forgetfulness

If you have a problem with memory loss or forgetfulness, then you may be a prime candidate for some of these services. You may be surprised to know that many people do not even realize they are having problems with memory loss until after they have already gone through various memory loss therapies. Some people go into a state of denial, while others seek out treatment for the problem and are willing to try a variety of different therapies to correct the problem. For most, however, there’s no real cure to remember what has caused memory loss; this is why personal care services are so beneficial for those in need.

It is highly dangerous when a loved one is experiencing forgetfulness. There are cases when elderly people tend to leave the house alone without telling anyone, resulting in getting lost along the way. What’s worse is that, not only that they do not know where they are, they do not know who to contact. They can forget names, contact numbers, or even addresses, which will be a challenge if you are going to search for them.

  • Missing Out on Scheduled Medications

The goal of personal care services is to ensure that the individual’s needs are met at all times and are satisfied to the fullest extent possible, including both short-term and long-term care. To achieve this, care has to be tailored to meet the specific needs of each individual. The health care professional that provides the personal care services should be able to assess the individual’s personal needs, which means that they must know how and when to provide the needed assistance. The caregiver should also be skilled enough to deliver the services required. And they should have the necessary skills to assist their client, as well as the proper training and certification to perform their duties.

Health care services include routine medical checkups, immunizations, and monitoring the health of the individual. The individual’s diet is also given special attention, especially if the patient suffers from chronic diseases. Some personal care services can also include therapy, counseling, etc. Such services are not only essential for the health of an individual but also to maintain their emotional, mental, or psychological state. Counseling and psychotherapy can also be offered as part of a patient’s care services. This service has been proven to significantly reduce the effects of psychiatric illnesses. Other treatments that can be provided include massage, acupuncture, reflexology, etc.

  • Lacking Personal Hygiene

Due to old age, some people tend to skip on having their regular baths or brushing their teeth regularly. As it may seem to be harmless, they may be having difficulty doing the task or they tend to forget that they are supposed to do that. Not maintaining proper hygiene results in possible skin problems or possible infections. The lack of proper dental hygiene may result in tooth decay or gum infection which may be painful for them as it develops.

Using the same personal care products every day ensure every day’s daily routine is complete and with the utmost dignity and respect to your senior loved one. With all the senior care products on hand, each PCS will offer an individualized senior care program that has been designed with their unique needs in mind. One of the most important factors to consider when choosing a senior care service is the quality of the senior care products on offer.

From cleaning products to personal hygiene products, a great selection of senior care product choices is available for your senior loved one. Each day, these senior-care products are chosen based on the type of care your senior family member requires. If your loved one requires more assistance, additional products may be added to their routine. As a wise senior care provider, you should ask if you can have a sample of the personal care products they are going to be using on a certain day before you sign them on. This allows you to be able to feel first-hand how well the senior care product was received. This will also help you feel confident in your decision and allow you to feel more comfortable with them.

  • Injury Marks

Showing signs of injury or bruises might indicate that they cannot handle the day on their own as they may be unsteady on their own feet or having trouble with moving. They might be having loss of balance, poor eyesight, hearing problems, or having problems lifting any object no matter how light they are.

A PCS will be their help if they have any tasks needed to be done. They can lend a hand if they need something to be brought to them or help them out when they have activities that want to be finished.

Have a Proper Discussion

Everyday activities that many take for granted such as tying up shoes, putting on makeup, getting ready for sleep, and so on can be difficult for a disabled or elderly person. A home caregiver is a great choice and they can provide your elderly loved one or disabled family members with compassionate, respectful, and understanding assistance through in-home specialized personal care service. A specialized home care service is designed to offer support to people who need it most: your elderly loved ones, or disabled loved ones. Your special needs, which may include disability, will be assessed to determine the best way to offer the right kind of help to your elderly loved ones. You can also request assistance for other family members who are often left behind when the elder person is away.

Some people might take it differently when you decide to get them a personal care service. When this happens, ensure them that you are extra careful with the service you are going to avail and you will guarantee their safety. Include in the discussion all family members so you are all on the same boat. Have an honest and careful discussion with the members of the family that are going to be affected.

Services offered to those who need extra support include home nursing services, which help you stay independent and mobile while receiving care in your own home. The caregiver will bring your loved one meal, snacks, baths, cleans your house, and so on. Home nursing service is particularly useful for people who cannot afford to hire a nanny or caregiver. The caregiver will also offer emotional and recreational support, ensuring that the elderly person is still able to get the assistance he needs. While there are many agencies out there that specialize in this type of service, make sure that the agency you choose is licensed by the state or country that you live in.

Conclusion

A personal care service is intended to care for the elderly to make their lives better. They take care of them and provide special attention to their needs and health. If you are to acquire a service for your loved one, make sure that you do thorough research about the company to guarantee that they will be doing their service properly and they put your loved ones in good hands. Some many websites and publications offer consumer reviews and ratings on companies that specialize in providing personal care service. When looking for the best professionals, make sure to check with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and ask for references and past clients to ensure that the company that you are considering can provide quality service and quality products and services to their clients.

Putting your loved one in personal care service is a serious matter and should be discussed thoroughly with family members affected. You should consider if they are comfortable having such service and if they don’t but badly needed one, try to convince them gently so that they could at least try and see how it goes. After all, you are doing it for their health and safety so that they can live a more comfortable life.