Americans are living longer than ever before, and nearly 70 percent of those older than 65 will at some point require support in dealing with the demands of daily life. Nearly all of those who will find themselves in that situation share one belief—there's no place like home.
As a result, home care is one of the fastest growing industries in the United States. The value for older Americans lies not just in the convenience of continuing to live at home, but also in improved health outcomes and delivery of vital services.
The Organic Benefits of In-Home Care
Experience and research is now demonstrating that home care delivers a range of health and lifestyle benefits that make it a valuable option for both seniors and their families. These include:
- Reduced risks — Home care providers perform many aids to daily living such as assistance with cooking, housekeeping, laundry and similar activities. This assistance can create a safer environment and decrease injury such as falls and burns.
- Less medical errors — Seniors must often take various medications that are subject to important, complicated scheduling and combination protocols. Home care providers help prevent potentially life-threatening errors by supervising the consumption of these medications.
- Nutritional assistance — Many older patients fail to follow diets that maintain their basic health requirements. Home care services can ensure that seniors are receiving and consuming healthy meals.
- Cost savings — Hospital stays, re-admissions and visits are increasingly expensive. Seniors receiving home care have been shown to have dramatically reduced healthcare costs since many of the routine services provided by medical facilities are delivered by providers.
- Socialization — Often, home care patients have limited ability and resources to stay connected. Home care providers can assist seniors with everything from organizing transportation to helping with computer issues, social functions and maintaining contact with distant family members.
- Personal assistance — Home care providers assist with basic personal maintenance requirements. They can also assess changes in behavior and routines that need to be addressed by medical professionals.
The bottom line is that not only is staying in one's home the preferred option for many aging Americans, it is also beneficial economically, socially and medically.
Concordance Healthcare Solutions is pleased to be able to support this preferred option by providing quality home care supplies and services to our home healthcare providers at affordable costs. For more information on this topic contact us.
