What Is Personal Care at Home and What Does It Include?

As one gets older, every simple task becomes difficult to perform. It happens the same during illness or any injury. Wouldn't it be a blessing to get assistance from someone dedicated to care?

Considering this necessity, services like personal care at home have emerged. Though it's a non-medical service, a professional caregiver helps individuals with disabilities and older adults stay safe, comfortable, and perform tasks independently in their own home. 

At Housecalls Home Care, we are resourced with professional caregivers to provide personalized personal care services across Virginia, aiming to help seniors and those in need so that they live a healthy and peaceful life.

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What Is Personal Care at home, and what does the service include?

Personal care at home is a non-medical service that is provided to help an individual perform routine activities such as bathing, grooming, dressing, mobility, meal preparation, and so on. In this service, a professional caregiver is assigned based on the requirements of the care receiver in order to provide the support they need, preserving their independence and dignity. 

One can avail the service for hours every day; however, one needs to note that each service is personalized based on the needs of the client, their lifestyle, and health requirements. 

Whether you need a few hours of assistance each week or daily care, personal care services can be customized to fit your lifestyle and health needs. Following the article, you will get to know what the service includes in detail. 

Ensuring Personal Hygiene and Bathing

Maintaining personal hygiene is often a difficult job during sickness, weakness, or any injury. By personal hygiene, we mean shaving, oral care, skin care, hair care, etc. At an elderly age, taking care of personal hygiene and especially bathing is a tough job. The assigned caregiver will not only take care of these factors with utmost dedication and cleanliness but also ensure the client's comfort and privacy. 

Dressing and Grooming

Like bathing, dressing and grooming are equally challenging at old age, when someone is bedridden or has any injuries. If you take personal care service, the caregiver will assist the client with dressing and grooming simultaneously. He will ensure the client feels refreshed, comfortable, and confident after the service. 

Incontinence Care

Incontinence care is also included in personal care service. Sometimes getting up from bed or a sitting position to go to the washroom and cleaning post-toileting becomes challenging. Through incontinence care, the caregiver will help the client with toileting while ensuring the client's dignity, respect, and independence. 

Mobility Assistance

Elderly citizens are at risk of falling and causing injury. Besides, moving around the house or going anywhere alone are equally risky for senior citizens. The caregiver will assist with mobility to ensure safe movement, especially preventing falls. He will help in getting up from bed or a chair, safely navigating stairs, moving in the house, or going to doctor's appointments, etc. This service will help the client remain active with safety.

Medication Reminders

Remember, personal care is a non-medical service. When the client is prescribed medication, the caregiver will help follow the medication schedule. The client may forget or not be in a situation to get up and take the medicine. The caregiver will provide a reliable service which will be beneficial for the development of the client's physical health.

Nutritious Meal Preparation and Feeding Assistance

Preparing meals is an essential yet difficult job. At an elderly age, preparing nutritious meals is even more troublesome. Hence, senior citizens tend to live on low-protein and easy food, which affects their health. The caregiver will not only prepare nutritious food according to the client's requirements and preferences but also assist in feeding. He will ensure proper food intake and hydration. 

Light Housekeeping

A clean and tidy home keeps the mind and body fresh. It will also ensure the living environment is safe for mobility. In personal care service, the caregiver will take care of the laundry, dishes, change bedsheets, and simple household tasks.

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Who Can Benefit from Personal Care at Home in Virginia?

Anyone who needs assistance with home tasks can avail of personal care services. However, it's especially essential for:

• Senior citizens who want to stay in their comfort zone, home
• Anyone during the recovery stage from surgery, injury, or hospitalization
• Someone with chronic illnesses
• Those with physical conditions like arthritis or mobility limitations
• A person with a mental condition like memory loss, dementia, or Alzheimer's disease
• Anyone with disabilities
• Family members who seek a caregiver for additional support

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Why should one opt for Personal Care Services?

Personal care services are not limited to senior citizens. Anyone can avail this service when they need support for household activities. There are many benefits one can enjoy with this service.  The service is ideal for individuals for the following benefits: 

• Seniors who want to maintain dignity and independence at home
• Minimize  the risk of falls and injuries
• Receive dedicated personal care based on client requirements 
• Ensure hygiene and overall well-being 
• Maintain dignity, privacy, and independence  of the client
• Reduce stress and tension of other family members
• Personalized and  flexible schedule plan based on client need and preference

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What is the difference between Personal Care vs. Home Health Care?

Personal and home health care may seem similar; however, they are not the same. Though they both are provided at home, the purpose of both services is different. 

Personal Care at Home

Personal care is a non-medical service aiming to provide living assistance to the client. From bathing, dressing, and grooming to providing mobility assistance and companionship, the caregiver maintains and ensures personal hygiene and well-being of the client. 

The service is designed based on the lifestyle, preferences, and requirements of the client at his preferred time and hour. Here, the client's independence, comfort, and dignity are highly prioritized. 

Home Health Care

On the other hand, the home health care service is provided by skilled medical professionals. To provide the service, the health practitioner must be assigned and instructed by a physician. The service includes nursing care, therapy, wound care, and medical treatments. It mainly focuses on medical recovery or certain medical conditions. 

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When Should You Consider Personal Care?

When you notice your loved one is having difficulty dressing, walking, getting up from bed, or experiencing falls, this is the time you should go for personal care service. Besides, if the person is recovering from any surgery, illness, or coming from hospitalization, personal care is required for a smooth and sound recovery. 

This service will also help those who have difficulty preparing meals. Moreover, a senior who is suffering from memory loss, dementia, or Alzheimer's issues needs constant care, and personal care service is an essential factor for them. You can also get the service for seniors who are living alone and need care for daily assistance and companionship.

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Final Thought 

Personal care service works for the well-being of seniors who live alone and need assistance to perform regular tasks. A reliable and dedicated caregiver is assigned to provide compassionate service to the client. Each of the service plans is created considering the client's preferences, requirements, and independence. 

If you are looking for personal care service in Virginia, get the most trusted and reliable service from Housecalls Homecare. From a few hours to the whole week, you can get a professional caregiver with dependable and premium-quality care that your family can trust.

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