What Are the Best In-Home Care Options for Seniors With Dementia?

More family members and seniors are considering in-home care as a superior option to traditional nursing home facilities. In-home care allows your loved one with dementia to spend time in a familiar space surrounded by other family members, allowing them to retain their independence for longer. 

If you’re considering in-home care for your loved one with dementia, this guide from Village Caregiving will help you make an informed decision on your options. 

What Are the Benefits of In-Home Care Services for Dementia?

In-home care services can offer relief for people living with dementia and their caregivers. It involves a professional caregiver coming to the patient’s home and helping them feel more comfortable, uplifting their mood and improving the safety of their space. Here are some of the top benefits: 

• Regular symptom monitoring: In-home caregivers can monitor symptoms and report back to you, so you can communicate with health care providers and provide early treatment for symptom relief. 
• Safe and calm environment: Caregivers can keep the home clean and comfortable, providing a safe and peaceful environment for your loved one. Their presence also makes the patient feel more secure, and they can ask for help with daily tasks. 
• Diet maintenance: A caregiver at home can ensure your loved one eats at the correct times and can help prepare simple, nutritious meals. Some patients also find meals more enjoyable when they have caregivers to socialize with.
• Behavior monitoring: As dementia progresses, behavior can change rapidly. Caregivers are trained to identify behavioral changes like irritability, depression and fatigue, which can help you seek medical assistance to improve their symptoms. 
• Physical activity: Dementia patients can benefit from regular physical therapy, especially in the early stages. Caregivers can help them move around their home comfortably and safely, preventing falls and ensuring they get some movement in.

What Are the Types of In-Home Care Services for Seniors? 

More and more people are seeking options for dementia care to improve the quality of life and prognosis for their loved ones. Here are the best in-home care options for seniors with dementia:

Companion Services

Companion services offer patients friendship, socialization and support. These services help provide mental stimulation through exercises like cognitive stimulation (CS), which can help enhance memory and concentration. Here are some examples of companionship services:

• Providing conversation and socialization through talking and crafting
• Creating mental stimulation using fun methods like listening to music or playing games
• Encouraging light physical activity in enjoyable ways, such as relaxing walks
• Bonding and spending time together during meals
• Helping with light housekeeping and running small errands
• Offering occasional transportation to appointments and social events
• Reminding patients to take their medications on time
• Sharing progress and checking in with family members

Personal Care Services

Personal care services help people with dementia who may have difficulties performing day-to-day activities. This service option allows people with dementia to remain in their own homes, where they may feel safer and more comfortable. It’s ideal for patients and families who prefer not to transfer to a nursing home or assisted living.

Caregivers who provide personal care services help with both basic self-care and everyday household tasks. They help fulfill the patients’ basic and crucial needs to improve their quality of life and enable them to live safely at home. Here are some examples of personal care services:

• Hygiene: Caregivers can help patients with regular bathing and other hygiene practices, like toothbrushing and hair washing.
• Grooming: People with dementia benefit from regular grooming services, such as dressing and brushing their hair. Caregivers can perform these grooming services and keep individuals looking and feeling good.
• Continence care: Personal care services like toileting can help patients feel comfortable and clean throughout the day.
• Mobility: Caregivers can help patients move around the house and perform crucial movements like getting out of bed.

Homemaker Services

Homemaker services focus on helping with household chores, meal preparation and tasks that keep the home environment hazard-free, clean and comfortable. These services aim to improve the patients’ home environments and overall quality of life. Caregivers offer nonmedical support that encourages independence and alleviates the responsibility of care on family members.

Homemaker services may include:

• Household tasks: Homemaker services assist with cleaning, grocery shopping, general tidying and laundry. These services can help take the strain off family members and make the patient more comfortable in their space.
• Meal support: Homemaker caregivers plan balanced and nutritious meals, prepare them and assist with mealtime for patients who may need help feeding or eating on time.
• Errands and transportation: Caregivers can take patients to their appointments and to the shopping center to run errands. They can also take patients to outings.
• Safety measures: Caregivers can identify potential hazards and suggest and implement home modifications like grab bars.

Specialized Dementia Care

Specialized dementia care focuses on creating dementia-friendly environments and building structured routines that support safety and comfort. It also gives patients dignity throughout all stages of the disease. It can be offered at home, but it’s also provided in assisted living memory care units and hospice.

Specialized care takes into account the individual’s preferences and abilities when creating daily routines and activities. These caretakers are knowledgeable about communication techniques and safety throughout the dementia stages. They also offer behavior support and coordinate with clinicians when medications can help with symptom management and behavior control.

Specialist caregivers also help patients bathe, dress and take medications on time. They create meaningful, structured activities that allow patients to enjoy music, art and gentle exercise that match their skills. Family members also benefit from their coaching on communication and stress relief solutions that can help prevent caregiver burnout.

What Support Is Available for Families of Seniors With Dementia?

Caring for a family member with dementia requires consistent effort and care that can often become overwhelming. Sometimes, family caregivers need extra help navigating the condition through the early stages, while others search for help handling the additional care required during the later stages of their disease. Some types of dementia, like Alzheimer’s, cause symptoms like memory loss and confusion, which worsen over time and call for high levels of care. 

Families typically pursue two main options for dementia support: 

1. Respite Services 

Respite services offer short-term care for seniors, which can last anywhere from a few hours to multiple weeks at a time. The primary purpose of respite care is to give regular caregivers a break to rest. Respite caregivers can be professionals or other family members. If you choose a family member, ensure they are well-informed and experienced in helping meet the needs of the person with dementia.

Caring for a person living with dementia can make it difficult to prioritize yourself, and over time, this can lead to caregiver burnout. Look out for symptoms like withdrawal, irritability and fatigue. Respite care can help prevent caregiver burnout and let you prioritize your health, passions and relationships. It gives you the space to travel, run necessary errands and share the load. 

Respite caregivers wear many hats. They are qualified and experienced in offering care in many forms, such as advanced hygiene tasks, housekeeping and medication reminders. However, they are not medical professionals, so they cannot administer medications. Here are some of the tasks respite caregivers can help with: 

• Companionship: Respite caregivers can help keep your loved one company, giving them some socialization and preventing feelings of loneliness while you’re not there. Their services also help mitigate concerns you may have about your family member forgetting their medication, falling or feeling afraid.
• Housekeeping: Your loved one deserves a comfortable and clean living environment. Respite caregivers can help take care of their homes when you’re not there. They can also offer housekeeping support to reduce your cleaning requirements. Respite caregivers are aware of safety concerns with people living with dementia, and they can make minor adjustments that significantly improve quality of life. 
• Activities of daily living (ADL) assistance: Respite caregivers can offer ADL assistance, which includes tasks like getting dressed, going to the toilet and bathing. They can also offer support for tasks like booking medical appointments and shopping, so you don’t need to rush back from your break. 
• Transportation: If you work during the day or are unable to transport your loved one to essential appointments, some respite caregivers can drive them to the necessary places. This benefit is invaluable for time-sensitive meetings like doctors’ or bank appointments. 

2. Home Care 

These services offer personal care or companionship to your loved one in the comfort of their home. An in-home family caregiver can come over for a few hours or stay overnight, and they assist with light housekeeping and errands. Home care aides are typically non-medical professionals and don’t provide skilled medical care. Instead, they help lighten the load of caregiving and provide personalized care to the individual. 

Living at home may be the best living situation for someone with dementia, in many cases. Research shows that home care intervention may improve the independence of the elderly with dementia and the family’s capability to provide home care. 

Many family members worry about whether Medicare will cover home care services. Medicare will cover in-home care costs if your loved one is considered “homebound” and requires skilled nursing services. The services needed can be part-time or intermittent. Here are some of the tasks that home care aides can help with: 

• Mobility assistance: Home care aides can help with mobility, such as moving around the house, going to the toilet or taking short walks. 
• Running errands: Caregivers can accompany your loved one to their appointments and take them shopping to run errands.
• Personal hygiene: Home care aides can help maintain personal hygiene habits like bathing, grooming and dental care. 
• Companionship: Caregivers can provide connection and companionship by talking, engaging and enjoying fun activities that keep your loved one in an upbeat mood and give them much-needed socialization. 

How to Find the Best In-Home Care Options for Seniors With Dementia

Research shows that home care for elderly patients with dementia can benefit their family life and help them avoid hospital readmissions and reduce costs. Finding the best in-home care options can make all the difference in your loved one’s quality of life. Here are some steps to find the ideal option:

Assess Needs

Consider your loved one’s needs, such as safety risks and daily support level. If your loved one is in a later stage of dementia, they may require more support with toileting, medicine and bathing.

You should also consider your needs or those of the primary caregiver. For example, if the primary caregiver is available most of the time but needs an occasional break, respite care would be an excellent option. If you need help on a more regular basis, then part-time home care may be a better option. 

Research Providers

Research options that align with your budget and medical coverage. This step will also help you determine where to look, such as a local agency or community referrals. Look for providers that offer dementia-specific care with staff who are experienced in working with seniors with dementia. Some red flags to watch out for are vague answers about training and poor responsiveness. Looking for vetted, trained and nurturing caregivers is the most essential part of your research. 

Create a Care Plan 

Build a plan that suits your loved one’s needs, ensures their safety and dignity and gives you peace of mind. List your loved one’s typical daily structure, including eating times, a plan and time for sundowning and behavior strategies that help calm them down. Note their preferred activities and medication times, which will make it easier for a professional caregiver to assist. Look for a company that offers you the flexibility, availability and affordability you need to provide quality care. 

Reap the Benefits of In-Home Care Services for Your Loved One With Dementia

In-home care offers numerous advantages for both primary caregivers and people living with dementia. It gives family members and primary caregivers peace of mind and allows them time to rest. Patients benefit from professional care, companionship and a comfortable environment. 

The best in-home care options for seniors with dementia depend on your needs and your loved one’s condition. Whichever option you choose, your loved one will appreciate your care, and you will enjoy providing them with a safe and joyful space in their home.