Many people believe that senior in-home care services only include medical services, assistance with daily hygiene activities, and meals—but this is not the case. Most in-home care companies also provide a service they call "companionship care." Companion care is a unique service that provides friendship, or company, to lonely seniors, and it can make a huge difference to a senior who lives alone. Here are the top things you should know about companionship care.
Seniors Are Lonely
A recent study revealed that one in three seniors feel lonely. If your senior parent lives alone, this study means that there is a 33% chance that your parent feels this way. Loneliness is not a pleasant feeling or experience. It makes people feel sad and depressed, and loneliness even increases a person's chances of developing health problems or dying prematurely.
But why are seniors so lonely today? Seniors are lonely because they live in homes by themselves and do not have a lot of people to talk to on the phone or in person. Seniors today stay living at home longer than they did years ago. People are busy today, too, and this makes it harder for people to have time to visit their senior relatives.
So, the problem is that seniors are lonely, and being lonely is not healthy, and the solution is companionship care services. These services provide the ideal resolution to this specific problem.
Companionship Care Services Offer the Answer
Through companionship care services, you can hire people to visit your senior parent. You can have them stop by once a week or more. They can stay for an hour or many hours. While they are there, they can participate in activities with your parent that they enjoy. For example, your parent might want to sit and chat about old times. Your parent might want to look through old picture albums and talk about the good memories they have.
Companionship care is not limited to talking only, though. The in-home care workers that provide this service will also do other activities. They can play games with your parent, do yoga exercises, plant flowers, or work on crossword puzzles. When your parent has someone stopping by for visits like this, it will help your parent feel less lonely. Relationships are so important in life, and companionship care services fill this void.
If you would like more details about this service or other services provided by in-home elder care companies, call one today.
Older adults sometimes see nursing care as an all-or-nothing scenario. They assume they are either at home living independently, or they are in a nursing home where everything is done for them. This is not really the case, however. There are plenty of in-between options for older adults who need some care, but who may not need full nursing assistance yet. Assisted living centers allow this flexibility. Your older loved one can simply have their meals provided for them, or they can have around-the-clock care — or somewhere in-between. We invite you to explore the content provided to learn more.