Caring for Our Elderly at Home

What homecare you can access & tips for aids that can help elderly people live independently

Most elderly people prefer to remain in their own home as long as possible and can get quite upset if they think they may have to move, whilst they're still fairly independent and do not need a care home.  Getting them to admit they may need some help is a major hurdle to overcome, but if the transition is engineered slowly it becomes a lot easier for them to accept, although be prepared for some stubbornness.

The First Steps in Care at Home – Help with Household Chores

One of the first areas they will need help is possibly with cleaning so employing a reliable and honest cleaner for a few hours a week will not cost a fortune, someone perhaps known to your elderly relative, or someone you know would be best.  You can also use a private agency, but this is a somewhat impersonal way, as you'll find older people can enjoy the company and perhaps a chat over a cup of tea as much as having the cleaning done for them.  Remember you cannot expect perfection but the work must be checked on from time to time.  If a garden is involved that is becoming hard to tackle, again a gardener to tidy it a few times a year and mow a lawn, if necessary is a good idea.  If the person involved has close family or friends who drop in from time to time to help, this is invaluable to ensure that little jobs i.e. changing lightbulbs, hanging new curtains, odd jobs that occur in any home, if not then if a local odd job man could leave his telephone number, this will take the worry out of "things going wrong", which older people can worry terribly about.

Making an Elderly Person’s Home a Safe Place

Slips, trips and falls are very common in the elderly, particularly in the home, so remove all unnecessary rugs and dangerous pieces of carpet causing a hazard.  Social Services will help with advising you on mobility and care aids, but you'll find several departments deal with this from Occupational Therapy, Partially Sighted, Outreach Officer, Day Centres, Wheelchair & walking aids assessment offices and many other departments. 

The best way forward is to ask for a Social Worker to be assigned to the elderly person, these people are so used to dealing and know the right questions to ask and the right way to approach without sounding patronising, putting the old person at ease, often getting fond of them and visiting them from time to time to check they are coping okay, another friend and company for them.  Most of them who deal with the elderly genuinely want to make their lives easier and are kindness themselves.

Arranging Home Visits for Personal Care

Another suggestion is to contact a mobile hairdresser, unless the person is pretty mobile and capable of visiting a local salon, to make appointments for her to wash and style, & cut from time to time, the person's hair, particularly if it is a lady, this will improve mood, give them a visit to look forward to, and make them feel better in themselves.  You will also find opticians will make home visits if requested, plus doctor should also make home visits and you must insist on this when telephoning the surgery, unless the person is able enough to attend themselves, or be transported. Chiropody is needed by old people as they cannot manage to cut toenails or bend down to deal with their feet, again home visits will be made by the NHS, unless someone will transport them to the clinic, again chiropody can be paid for privately. Many firms do run transport services, using voluntary private car drivers to take the elderly to hospital appointments, doctors, physiotherapy, dental appointments etc., if there's no one else able to do so.  As these appointments are during the day, family members may be working and unable to obtain time away from work.

Peace of Mind – A Personal Alarm System

As already mentioned, slips, trips and falls are the main causes of harm to the elderly in their own home.  The time will eventually come when you feel your parent may need an alarm pendant to press for attention if they fall or are in any trouble of some kind, (this is only for inside the house).  This is relayed to a number and help will be given, or a relative will be contacted if during out of hours, usually 10pm until 7am.  A telephone and pendant will be provided, although there is a charge for this service. Sometimes the local council deliver this service, however, many have now contracted it out to private firms, thus the charges have risen somewhat.

Locating affordable homecare services – local authority care and private care agencies

Private care agencies can also be used, rather than using the local authority, in this instance full payment, usually by the hour, is required from the outset.  You can get a list of care agencies from, online directories such as TrustedCare and your local social services.  Carers may also have to deal with medication, they are not actually allowed or qualified to give it to the person, just to remind them or show them where the pills are.  So, it is a good idea to purchase a pill box with the days of the week inscribed on it, so the appropriate tablets can be inserted to avoid forgetting to take the medication, or mistakes being made.  Suffice it to say, the elderly do get very confused & forgetful about taking medication, great care must be taken. 

Carers also often have a little chat with the person being cared for, if they have time. Again, some are dedicated about their job and do it well with great concern, a small minority just rush in and out to get it over with as soon as possible. You will have to sort the wheat from the chaff, so to speak. In some cases, a carer will pick up small items of shopping or go to the Post Office etc., as part of the care package, this is something that can be arranged as care goes on.  District nurses will also make visits from time to time, if the person has a wound that needs treating e.g. from a fall, again they are a lifeline to save hospital visits.  The only trouble is you may not get the same nurse visiting each time, which is not continuity and may confuse the patient. Needless to say, they do a very good job in the community.

elderly person can see who is calling before opening the door.  The elderly are notorious for being too trustful of callers, who may be bogus, trying a scam out on them to take money off them unnecessarily.  They should really ask callers for identification but rarely do.

Pensions now are usually paid into a bank account by direct debit, however, you can still get your pension at the Post Office by entering a PIN number, not advisable and confusion reigns this way.  Yet on the other hand some old people do not like having a bank account, the best decision will have to be made of how the old person will cope.  Money does begin to confuse them, they may even begin to hide it in different places or swear they have given you more than they have, often confusing different denomination notes, leading to them being taken advantage of at times.

Old people maybe with hearing difficulties will not always hear the doorbell/knocker to let family or a carer in.  Acquiring access by key can also be a problem for family and carers, a key box can be fitted near the front door with a security pad fitted, access to the key can then be obtained by putting the code number into the security pad.  Of course, this number should only be given to family and carers who need to gain access. You will have to stress to the elderly person they must NOT leave keys in the lock on the inside of the door, thus blocking a key being inserted from the outside to gain access.

Mobility Aids for Around the Home

You can get fittings from Occupational Therapy for help in the kitchen, a very hazardous room for the elderly.  They can provide jar openers for stiff arthritic hands, fittings and markers on cookers, washing machines and gas fires in lounge areas to ease problems.  Pan grilles can be fitted to the tops of cookers to save accidents, e.g. pans boiling over and scalding.  Help in the bathroom is also possible, raised toilet seats as elderly people often find regular toilet seats far too low, grip rails for in the bath and near the toilet, a bath seat which lowers and raises the elderly person in the bath can be provided, again by Social Services.  They do prefer old people to have a shower, but if a shower is not available this is the next best thing.

A commode may also be necessary as time goes on, as will incontinence pads, these can be obtained sometimes for free, dependent upon the doctor, Social Services, and the area in which they live.  If the old person finds it difficult to pull zips up or socks etc. you can also get a zip pull or a sock pull, usually purchased privately, if they find it difficult picking things up a long-handled picker-upper, for want of a better word is a useful gadget.  If a wheelchair is required they will have to be measured up for one, this department is usually independent of Social Services, but is complimentary, unless you want a state of the art one, you would have to pay yourself.  Maintenance of wheelchairs is carried out from time to time for the safety of the user.  Of course, all the above can be purchased from mobility shops privately, as can a wheelchair, stick or walker.

Senior Day Care

Local Care Homes will often have what they call "Open Days" when non-residents can have a day out in the company of people their own age, they will be collected from their home, have a meal, maybe play a game or two, chat to people, and returned to their own home at the end of the day.  Not for everyone, but a thought to break the week up and keep the grey cells alive!  Especially for those elderly people who live alone, this can be a much-needed social activity.

In terms of stimulation, Talking Books and newspapers are a boon to the elderly, especially if their sight is not too good, they can keep up with current affairs and what is going on in the world. Also ensure that they have a good light to read by as old eyes do not see so well and may get strained.  In fact, their accommodation should always be as well-lit as possible, avoiding slips, trips and falls.

Installing a Stairlift to help keep an elderly person at home

A stairlift is also a good idea when mobility is suffering, again Social Services will put the person on a list, but unfortunately the waiting list is usually very long.  If they have sufficient funds they would be well advised to make a private purchase if help is needed sooner rather than later.

Claiming Attendance Allowance

Attendance allowance is a benefit that can be claimed and is not means-tested, there are 2 levels, depending on the degree of their condition.  A long, complex form will have to be completed, usually by a son or daughter on their behalf, help can be obtained from Age UK, or other support agencies for the aged, on completing this form.  This allowance is designed to help pay for care that may be needed as the years increase. It can be claimed from age 65 onwards.

Arranging care at home can be a daunting prospect, especially with so much to consider. Hopefully this article has provided an insight into what help is available, and where to start if you are dealing with needing to find support for an elderly parent or relative. Many elderly people will reaffirm that staying in their own home, being cared for by family, with additional support from care agencies and social services, is so much better for their well-being.

There are so many affordable homecare services that you can access these days, that it does make it a cost-effective and caring way to take care of the elderly where possible.