Everything You Need to Know About 24 Hour Exclusive Home Care

Exclusive Home Care Services

It can be a tough decision to make when your parent or spouse needs around-the-clock care. While elders can be in denial of the need for extensive support, it is your role as the family caregiver to understand that it is time to make a decision before a crisis occurs. Being aware and involved in the daily activities of seniors can give you insight on when to look for additional support at home.

Most elders love to be in familiar surroundings with people they know and care about while they age. Moving them to assisted living facilities or retirement homes may not be the best option for them. When you can provide 24-hour exclusive home care with compassionate and well-trained caregivers, life becomes easier for you and your loved ones.

While looking for around-the-clock care and companionship for seniors, there are two options available — 24hr care and live-in care. Depending on the requirements, you can choose the option that best suits the exclusive home health care needs of your parent or spouse.

Difference Between 24 Hour Care and Live-in Care

There are differences between 24-hour care and live-in care that can determine the best choice for your needs. We will look at them both along with the advantages and disadvantages for you to compare both options.

24-hour Care

With 24-hour care, there is an active caregiver always ready to attend to the needs of seniors. Usually, two or more caregivers rotate in shifts to take care of elders who need around-the-clock care and support. If you want to be really sure that the caregiver has the maximum alertness, you can book three caregivers to rotate among themselves for eight-hour shifts. The 24-hour exclusive home care is billed at an hourly rate. There are no sleeping breaks for the caregiver. However, you can allow the overnight caregiver to rest for some time if you know that your parent or spouse has no problems sleeping at night.

Pros

  • Active caregiver available at all times in a 24-hour period to care for the needs of elders
  • Peace of mind knowing that there’s always someone available to provide exclusive home care

Cons

  • Billed at an hourly rate and hence very expensive compared to live-in care
  • Not good for clients who need familiarity as caregivers are switched at regular intervals

Live-in Care

In live-in care, one caregiver stays with the elder receiving care. Caregivers are booked for a 24-hour period. During the stay, the caregiver is given a mandatory eight-hour sleep break along with a bed for sleeping. Provisions are also available for breaks during the day to step out of the house. The live-in home care services are billed at a fixed rate.

Pros

  • Consistency in care and ability to build a relationship with a dedicated caregiver
  • Flat-rate billing is a budget-friendly option for clients

Cons

  • Support may not be available for elders during the mandatory eight-hour sleep break of the caregiver
  • When caregivers step outside for a break, elders are on their own and may put themselves at risk

For dementia and Alzheimer’s patients, and elders who have the tendency to sleepwalk and wander away during nights, 24-hour exclusive home care is highly beneficial. An active caregiver is always available to monitor the activities of elders and support them in daily activities. While live-in care can help build familiarity and comfort with the caregiver, 24-hour care can be the best option when your parent or spouse needs care throughout the day and night.

When Do You Know It Is Time for 24 Hour Exclusive Home Care Services?

There are signs you should pay attention to and be aware of before deciding to get 24-hour exclusive care services.

Look for the following signs that may give you the indication that it is time to shift your older parent or spouse to 24-hour dedicated care:

  • Frequent falls and accidents in and around the house. Compromised balance can be the result of dementia.
  • Wandering from home and getting lost while on foot or vehicle
  • Confusion during the daytime, nighttime, and absence of family and friends
  • New bathroom accidents
  • Frequently waking up in the middle of the night and not getting regular sleep
  • Increased incidents of forgetfulness
  • Assistance needed in eating and drinking

How to Choose a 24-Hour Exclusive Home Care Agency?

Most clients who require 24-hour exclusive home care services initially try to hire someone they know for taking care of their aging parent or spouse. However, there are problems with payroll, coordinating schedules, finding replacements, liability insurance, and other issues.

Hiring caregivers through an agency gives you peace of mind knowing that every possible scenario that needs attention is already taken care of for you. You will be able to get access to well-trained and compassionate caregivers whom you can get to know before hiring.

The following are some of the questions we suggest you ask your home care agency before hiring a caregiver:

  • How many caregivers should I expect in a month and how are the shifts divided?
  • Can I talk to the caregivers before hiring them?
  • How will you take care of situations when the caregiver cannot make their shift? Will there be ‘fill-in’ caregivers available?
  • Whom can I speak to in case of any problems?
  • Can family caregivers coordinate with agency caregivers?
  • What tasks are caregivers allowed and not allowed to perform?

Paying for 24-Hour Home Care Services

Usually, 24-hour home health care is paid for directly by the client. However, there are other ways such as long-term care insurance and Medicare to pay for services.

Some long-term care policies are available that provide a fixed daily amount towards the cost of care at home. These policies have a 90-day waiting period before you can avail of the benefits. You can do some research to identify policies that meet your criteria and speak to a knowledgeable professional before making a purchase. You can save a lot of paperwork by selecting an agency that can process these insurance claims for you.

Medicare pays for medical services at home, including nurse visits and physical therapy, on the recommendation of a doctor. However, it does not cover private exclusive home care services. Check with your doctor to know if your parent or spouse needs recurring medical services at home.

24-Hour Exclusive Home Care from VIPrivate Care

At VIPrivate Care, we understand your needs when you’re looking for 24-hour care for elders. Our dedicated team of compassionate caregivers is available to provide intimate care and support for your loved ones at all times. We place our emphasis on the health and well-being of the care receiver while honoring and respecting their requests and privacy.

We provide personal care, emotional care, nursing care, and household care services. We can adjust to your schedules to meet your needs and be always available to provide assistance any time during the day. We ensure aging in place is fulfilling as we care for the health and safety of elders at home.

Our goal is to provide you with increased peace of mind knowing that a highly-trained team of expert caretakers are available to provide the highest levels of exclusive home care services for your loved ones.