What Should You Expect With Resident Home Care?

What do you think of when you hear the words "Resident Home Care?" Do you get the picture of a sterile, hospital like environment where elderly people are cared for on the way to their final destination in life? Or, do you take the more modern vision of assisted living to be a friendly home-like environment? When folks can no longer safely care for themselves at their own homes and choose to live among new companions their own age in order to experience a new phase of life they turn to a residential care home.

Resident home care is becoming more of a positive choice because of the smaller, independent facilities that have arisen. This is a direct result of an aging population that is still somewhat active, yet just needs a little extra care as they navigate their way into their 60's, 70's, 80's and beyond.

We are living longer, thanks to many medical advances. However, the quality of our physical health varies as we age. The primary responsibility of a resident home care system is to provide a safe place for elderly residents. Trained staff is readily available 24 hours a day to assist with daily tasks that may have become difficult such as bathing, cooking, cleaning, personal care, and proper dispensing of medications.

The best residential homes see it as their privilege and duty to monitor their resident's health stages, taking note of any changes that need to be addressed with the family and the resident's medical team. While direct medical care is not a factor of resident home care there is assistance provided to get residents to their medical appointments as well as work with medical staff should extra care and end of life hospice services be required.

While meeting the quality life needs of their residents, resident home care systems encourage activities that promote independence and support involvement in the larger community. This can be through field trips to local community centers, shopping, or in house activities. By providing access to such activities the residential care facility becomes more than a waiting room. The home truly becomes a new type of home for the residents.

Making the decision to find the best resident home care for you or somebody you love can be a difficult one. However, many people get the opportunity to see the transition as something very positive once they start interviewing and touring the options for residential home care that exist. Gone are the days when your choices are limited. Gone are the days when you have to feel as if you are dumping off your loved one in a foreign environment. Many homes are very welcoming and take great pride in providing a new home for the people you love.