We wanted to share some insights on the types of Non-medical care that can make aging in place safer and easier for your elder loved ones. There is a difference between non-medical and medical care, and knowing the difference helps families to better understand their options for care leading to better choices.
Offering non-medical care generally means assisting elderly or disabled persons to perform their activities of daily living. Examples include assistance with eating, bathing and maintaining personal hygiene, dressing, toileting, and basic mobility, preparing meals, transportation assistance, light housecleaning, laundry, and shopping for essentials. Non-medical care may also include companionship and supervision. Assistance with medication is an area that toes the line between medical and non-medical care. Medication reminders for taking pills is considered non-medical, but medication administration, by nebulizer or with hypodermic needles, for example, is considered medical care
Non-medical care is also known as personal care, attendant care, custodial care, domiciliary care, companion care, and non-medical home care. Some financial assistance programs use the phrase, “assistance with the activities of daily living”, instead.
Non-medical care can play a critical role in assisting to stay in their own homes and age in place gracefully. Sometimes the need is temporary, such as during recovery from an illness or injury, and sometimes it is needed indefinitely due to the natural process of aging. In many cases, without in-home, non-medical assistance, the likelihood that seniors might need to move in with a family member or relocate to an assisted living residence is greater. For seniors who live with a relative who provides them with regular care assistance, non-medical care can be received in the form of in-home or out-of-home respite care allowing families a break from their caregiving duties. Furthermore, non-medical care can provide peace of mind for family members.
This type of care is often provided by friends, spouses, and other family members. However, there is a whole industry of private caregivers and even public employees who provide care, typically on an hourly basis. Home care is one of the safest options right now, and studies show that aging in place has a number of benefits.
At Home Eldercare offers a level of care that is industry leading, backed by a leadership team with decades of experience in the senior care industry. For more information, stay tuned for our contact information at the end of the video, including an opportunity to own your own senior care business.
For more information, or to find an At Home Eldercare office near you, go to our Locations page.