TIPS FOR MAKING USE OF YOUR HOME HEALTH AIDE

Most home health agencies, like Harbor Health Home Care, have a minimum of hours per day or week required for a home health aide's services to commence. For many agencies, it is usually 3-4 hour shifts at least three times a week. This scheduling is most useful for insuring the same home health aide remains with the client. It is also practical from a scheduling point of view and results in building a relationship between the client and home health aide.

Home health aides perform many tasks for and with a client. Primarily they are there to assist, keep the client safe, keep company or provide respite time for the primary caregiver. An aide will help a client with personal care(ADLs) such as bathing, transferring, eating, toileting and dressing. Additionally they will assist with running of the household tasks(IADLs) such as meal preparation, laundry, light housekeeping, companionship, driving to appointments, and shopping.

The key to making the best use of the aide's time and services is to have a routine or schedule. For example, one day can be for laundry, another day can be for shopping or other outdoor errands. Two meals can usually be prepared during a shift. Nutrition is very important and sometimes elderly clients do not shop often enough or prepare meals for themselves.

As safety is a major concern, having an aide assist the client with getting a drink, the mail, getting to the bathroom and such, helps prevent falls. One in three people over the age of 65 in the U.S. suffer a fall. Most often this is in the house.

Companionship helps to stave off depression which can be part of an illness an recuperation. Having someone there who you get to know can help motivate you with exercises and getting out of the house. Respite time for the spouse or primary caregiver is critical to their well being, either to take a nap, go out to socialize or to keep their own doctor appointments.

Making a good "match" between client and home health aide is part science and part art. Like in most relationships, communication is very important. When both parties are aware of the expectations and both people become acquainted, the magic of a good match becomes apparent.