What You Need to Know About Care Plans from Visiting Angels Eldersburg

One of your main worries when working with a professional home care agency like Visiting Angels Eldersburg is most likely the services that can be provided to your loved one. As a company that has been serving Carroll, Howard, and Baltimore Counties since 2002, we understand that each senior has their own unique needs. A senior who has a chronic ailment, for example, may need more hands-on care than a senior who is otherwise in good health. That is why, while working with families in Eldersburg, Westminster, Baltimore, Columbia, Ellicott City, Randallstown and the surrounding areas of Maryland, we will develop a care plan based on the level of assistance required by your loved one.

If you've never had to hire a professional caregiver for a loved one, you may be concerned about how a care plan would work. What is included in a care plan? How can I change a loved one's care plan? How can I determine whether my loved one's plans need to be changed?

We can educate you all you need to know about care plans, including how to work with our team to make any adjustments.

Getting Started with a Care Plan from Visiting Angels Eldersburg

What is Care Plan?

A care plan details the home care services that your loved one will receive, as well as when our caregivers will come visit. This not only tells our staff about the kind of assistance your loved one needs and when they require it, but it also notifies your family about the actions Visiting Angels Eldersburg is taking to ensure they are safe and comfortable in their own home.

What Home Care Services Does Visiting Angels Eldersburg Provide?

At Visiting Angels Eldersburg, we are experts in assisting elderly and disabled adults with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). Seniors often benefit from this level of assistance since certain age-related issues may make everyday tasks difficult or impossible to do alone.

Our care plans often include services like:

• Meal preparation
• Light housekeeping
• Personal hygiene care
• Toileting and incontinence care
• Mobility assistance
• Transportation assistance
• Help with grocery shopping and running errands
• Companionship

For older individuals who need a more specialized approach to in-home care, we also offer the Senior Life Care Navigation program. Our palliative care services, for example, help chronically ill seniors rediscover hope and comfort. Dementia care, end-of-life care, fall prevention and other services are also available.

How Does Visiting Angels Eldersburg Create Care Plans?

During an in-home consultation, our team will take the time to understand the level of care your loved one needs to age in place. We will take into account your loved one's physical, emotional, spiritual and social needs in order to provide them with the comprehensive home care they deserve. We will also discuss your loved one’s schedule so our caregivers can provide care that allows your loved one to maintain their regular routine. After their care plan has been prepared, we will help you in finding a caregiver who can provide the care your loved one requires.

How Can I be Sure the Caregiver is Following the Care Plan?

Our supervisors will conduct frequent check-ins with clients and caregivers to ensure that care plans are being followed appropriately. We understand how difficult it may be for families to see their elderly loved ones, so we go out of our way to ensure that your loved one is receiving the level of assistance specified in their care plan.

Changing Your Loved One’s Care Plan

Why Do Care Plans Need to be Updated?

Your loved one’s situation will change over time. They may be OK with occasional professional caregiver visits now, but what if they develop a chronic illness? What if they need to be hospitalized? A good care plan should be adaptive and provide the client with the help they need as their circumstances change.

When Should My Loved One’s Care Plan be Updated?

It's not always obvious that your loved one’s care plan needs to be changed. There may be moments when it is obvious that your loved one need a fresh approach to in-home care, but if you are unable to be by their side 24 hours a day, you may miss signs that they require more intensive care.

Some events may necessitate an adjustment to their care plan, including:

• Health emergency – If your loved one has been injured or needs surgery, they may require immediate adjustments to their care plan to allow them to recover at home after being discharged from the hospital.
• Medical diagnosis – If your loved one has a chronic condition, their care plan will need to be modified to help support them with managing new symptoms or behaviors.
• Changes in the family’s ability to provide care – If you or another family member has been caring for your loved one, changing the hours in your loved one's care plan can be beneficial if you need to pull back from caregiving commitments.

Not sure if their care plan should be changed? Our team may be able to help. Our caregivers can act as a second pair of eyes and ears for your family while providing care for a loved one. If they see any changes in the overall well-being of your loved one, they will alert their supervisor, who will contact your family and discuss possibilities.

We may recommend changes to their care plan if we notice:

• Growing safety issues
• Changes in their physical or cognitive health
• Worsening symptoms of a chronic illness
• Worsening age-related issues that impact their mobility, eyesight, motor skills or ability to swallow

How Can I Adjust My Loved One’s Care Plan?

Visiting Angels Eldersburg makes it simple to update your loved one’s care plan. All you have to do is get in touch with our office. Our team will review your loved one's care plan and make any necessary modifications to ensure that they continue to get the in-home care they need. We’re able to change how long the caregiver stays, how often they come, what services the caregiver will offer, specific instructions for delivering these services and other factors.

A personalized care plan from Visiting Angels Eldersburg can provide your loved one with the help they need to enjoy aging in place.

Call Visiting Angels Eldersburg today at 410-549-8002 to learn how our home care services can help your loved one!