Sometimes, care needs change quickly, and your loved one needs extra assistance. Maybe they’re recovering from an accident, or maybe a progressive condition has worsened. Or maybe you, their family caregiver, are unable to offer the assistance they need due to an illness or unexpected trip out of town.
Emergency home care can help when these situations arise. Read on to learn more about finding your loved one the help they need in an emergency situation.
What types of immediate home care are available to families?
The terms “home care” and “home health care” may sound the same, but they offer distinctly different services. To find the best care in an emergency situation, confirm which type of assistance your loved one needs. It’s important to consider why you’re in need of immediate home care and to select an agency accordingly.
Emergency home care
Home care is designed for seniors who would prefer to age in place but who need extra help with daily tasks and activities, like bathing, dressing, and preparing meals. Generally, home care aides aren’t licensed to provide medical support. Caregivers can offer medication reminders, help with housekeeping tasks, and transportation.
Your senior loved one may need emergency home care if they need:
- Assistance with personal care, such as bathing, toileting, or dressing
- Help with meal preparation or light housekeeping
- Transportation to and from medical appointments
- Nonmedical care at home for dementia and other types of memory loss
- Companionship and interaction when family caregivers are unavailable
Emergency home health care
Home health care is provided by trained medical professionals. Services can include health care monitoring and medical tests, as well as assistance with medication, insulin administration, and potentially physical therapy.
Your senior loved one may need emergency home health care if:
- They require routine medical assistance, like medication management or insulin administration
- They’ve experienced a recent fall or injury and need help recovering
- They require wound care with bandaging or irrigation
- Physical therapy at home is necessary
How does emergency home care help keep seniors comfortable and safe at home?
Accidents, injuries, worsening medical conditions, and unexpected travel could all be reasons to seek home care now. Depending on your loved one’s individual care needs, emergency home care may be required until you can address underlying issues and establish long-term arrangements.
Home care agencies will often work to meet urgent requests, depending on your situation and the availability of their caregiving staff. Since caregivers work around the clock, there’s generally someone present to take your call.
Before contacting a home care agency or independent caregiver, consider the details of your situation to be sure your loved one gets the care they need. Here are some scenarios that may require emergency home care.
Recovery from an accident or surgery. Has your loved one been recently released from the hospital, or are they recovering from a fall? If so, do they need more care than what you usually provide? Home care aides can offer mobility assistance as well as help with day-to-day activities and household chores.
Unexpected obligations. Do you need to go on a last-minute work trip or take time away from your aging relative to care for a child or another family member? Or are you sick and unable to perform your regular caregiving duties? If so, an outside caregiver can fill in temporarily to assist your loved one with the things you normally handle.
A regular caregiver is unavailable. If you have already established a relationship with a home care aide, what’s your plan if they’re ever unable to make their shift on short notice? Home care agencies and registries can provide a backup caregiver in case of emergencies.
Medical needs evolve. Does your loved one have a progressive medical condition like dementia or Parkinson’s disease? Will you be able to provide the care they need if their health declines suddenly? Home health care can help seniors remain in their homes longer, even if their care needs increase.
What steps should you take to find emergency home care?
Under normal circumstances, it may take weeks of research and interviews to find the best home care fit for your loved one. However, in certain urgent cases, there are ways to expedite the process. Registries, agencies, medical providers, and services like AgingCare can help.
It’s important to note that emergency home health care doesn’t replace medical care if your loved one requires urgent medical attention. In the case of a medical emergency or accident, contact your relative’s doctor or 911.
Here are some ways to find in-home care now.
Reach out to AgingCare. AgingCare offers free, personalized guidance from Care Advisors. Our advisors can help connect you with local home care agencies that meet your loved one’s individual care needs. Explain the urgency and timeline of your situation. Since all of AgingCare’s in-network providers are accredited and vetted, you won’t have to worry about extra research in an emergency.
Work with a home care agency. Established home care agencies typically have access to caregiver databases which include professional aides. Because they have many aides on staff, agencies are generally able to fulfill urgent requests. Note that same-day or on-call service may cost more than established appointments.
Use a home care registry to find an independent caregiver. Look online for a caregiver registry if you’re interested in hiring an independent caregiver. This gives you direct control over who you choose to bring into your home. However, it’s worth noting that this will take longer than contacting an agency and may require more work on your end. You may need to conduct background checks and interviews and set up payroll.
Contact your loved one’s medical provider. Physicians and geriatricians may have access to lists of home health care professionals to contact in an urgent situation. If your loved one has specific health needs, like wound care or insulin administration that are beyond your ability, they may need the care of a certified medical practitioner.
Questions to ask caregivers during interviews
If you don’t have time to conduct multiple caregiver interviews or thoroughly research various choices, consider which of the following things are most important to you, and ask about them.
Hours and scheduling. If your loved one needs immediate care, make sure the agency can provide someone right away. If you have more time — for example, a work trip that’s a week away — confirm the agency has availability for those dates. Ask what to expect when scheduling future care as well. If your relative needs 24-hour home care, inquire about shifts and the number of caregivers needed.
Certification and experience. You want to trust that your loved one is in capable hands. Ask about each caregiver’s qualifications and certification status, as well as background checks.
If your loved one has a medical condition that requires specific care, such as diabetes or dementia, be sure to find a caregiver with experience assisting seniors with those concerns.
Rates and payment. Request information about hourly rates and scheduling to find an option that fits your budget. If you need immediate home care, keep in mind that prices for emergency services may be higher than the agency’s standard.
Insurance and tax information. If you’re hiring an independent caregiver rather than working through an agency, it’s important to know if they’re insured. Also, ask about payroll and tax withholding.
What precautions can you take to make finding emergency home care easier?
Senior care needs can change quickly, and it’s always good to be prepared. Here are some ways to smooth out the process of finding immediate home care.
- Contact home care and home health providers in advance. Even if your loved one doesn’t regularly require home care assistance, you can form relationships with agencies in case of an emergency. Consider reaching out to providers in your area and discussing your relative’s care needs. Let them know that your loved one may require assistance in the future, and ensure your information is in their database.
- Maintain a list of people who can help. In an emergency, it may be difficult to both care for your loved one and search for immediate in-home caregiver help. Make a list of friends and family members who can help balance your duties while you search.
- Look into assisted living. If your loved one requires longer-term care, or if they’re no longer able to live at home, it can be helpful to establish relationships with local assisted living communities. Many assisted living facilities also offer respite care options, which allow your relative to stay temporarily while you’re traveling, recovering from an illness, or seeking additional care.