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How Does 24-Hour Home Care Work?

Here's a quick guide into 24-hour caregivers and how the services work.
24-Hour Home Care in Katy TX
24-Hour Home Care in Katy TX

You’ve learned more about 24-hour home care services, but you’re still not sure how it works. Here’s a quick guide into 24-hour caregivers and how the services work.

You Work Together to Create a Care Plan

Come up with a list of the things your parents cannot do independently. Those are the services you want caregivers to help with. It could be medication reminders, assistance with toileting, or light housekeeping.

Around-the-clock caregivers often help with incontinence and late-night snacks. If your parents have insomnia, a caregiver keeps them company. You might live with your parents and need to sleep at night. With 24-hour caregivers, you’re able to get the sleep you need.

Build the care plan and make sure you’ve thought of everything. The best way to do this is by going over the to-do list you follow as your parents’ caregiver. Star the items that you have the most difficulty completing or managing due to the time the care is needed.

For example, your mom takes medications that have to be taken every six hours. She can’t miss a dose. Recently, you slept through one of the alarms that was supposed to wake you up to make sure your mom took her next pill. With 24-hour care, accidents like that won’t happen anymore.

Caregivers Work in Shifts

When you arrange 24-hour home care, the caregivers work in shifts. Sometimes, caregivers work six-hour shifts, but some may work eight-hour shifts. You’ll discuss that when making arrangements.

The first caregiver of the day arrives and stays until the next caregiver is scheduled. There’s continual coverage by the 24-hour home care aides to ensure your parents are never left alone.

What Happens if a Caregiver Is Sick?

What happens with 24-hour caregiving if one of the aides is sick, can’t get a car started, or has a family emergency? You can’t control the unexpected, but home care agencies have plans in place.

If this happens, the caregiver alerts the agency. A replacement is dispatched until the original aide can get to your parents’ house. If the caregiver is sick, the substitute caregiver takes over for as long as is necessary.

Jot down a list of questions that you and your parents have. You’ll want to have this nearby when you call a 24-hour home care agency to talk to an expert. As you get to know the services and prices that fit your parents’ needs, you can schedule around-the-clock care.

If you are considering 24-hour home care in Katy, TX, for an aging loved one, please call the caring staff at At Your Side Home Care. We will answer all of your senior care questions. Call today: (832) 271-1600.

Donna Wrabel, LMSW

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