4 Home Care Myths — and Facts You Need to Know

In-home personal care can be a tremendous benefit for older adults and their families. Professional caregivers provide invaluable companionship and socialization, promote quality of life and well-being, and help seniors age in place safely. In addition, they assure families their senior is receiving dedicated and compassionate care from a qualified professional in the comforts of home.

However, misconceptions about in-home personal care may prevent older adults and families from considering this service and cause them to forego a home care consultation entirely. As a result, many older adults may never experience the benefits of in-home care.

Get the Facts About Home Care

Here are four common home care myths and facts you need to know:

1. Myth: Home care is low-quality when compared to nursing home care

   Fact: Visiting Angels’ home care providers undergo comprehensive background checks. They have the opportunity to participate in robust training on topics that include fall prevention, home safety, dementia care, and internal policies and procedures.
   
   Visiting Angels’ caregivers are fully focused on a senior’s needs — whether those requests include personal care assistance, light household tasks, or companionship. A Visiting Angels caregiver will get to know a senior loved one, making it easier to identify changes or concerns and update the family.
   
   In contrast, nursing home staff typically care for several residents during each shift and may not have time to provide companionship to residents. Living in a nursing home is also associated with a greater risk of contracting colds, flu, COVID-19, gastrointestinal viruses, and other contagious illnesses when compared to one-on-one personal care in the home.
   
   
2. Myth: Aging in place isn’t safe
   
   Fact: Visiting Angels offers a comprehensive Fall Prevention Program, which includes a home safety walk-through and fall risk assessment. Consultants will identify tripping hazards, poorly lit areas, and bathroom/kitchen risks and suggest modifications.
   
   Professional caregivers also help seniors with mobility concerns to help them navigate their home safely and reduce the risk of accidents or injuries. Caregivers also keep seniors safe via light housekeeping duties, transportation, errands, and meal preparation.
   
   
3. Myth: Home care is only for people who are very sick.
   
   Fact: Home care is for any older adult who wants to remain independent and stay at home as long as possible. In-home personal caregivers can provide the full spectrum of non-medical, supportive care — including assisting seniors who need companionship to prevent social isolation and managing unique personal care needs. 
   
   
4. Myth: Home care means giving up independence. 
   
   Fact: The thought of losing independence is scary for anyone. But hiring an in-home caregiver doesn’t mean an older adult is losing independence — in fact, it means the opposite. Professional home care enables seniors to maintain independence and provides them with the assistance they need to continue living safely at home.
   
   Visiting Angels’ caregivers pride themselves on helping seniors maximize their abilities and providing them a sense of purpose and control over their care. Although a caregiver may make recommendations to enhance quality of life, seniors and their families have the final say on the home care plan.

Visiting Angels Provides Answers to Your Home Care Questions

Whether you are planning for a loved one’s future care or have an immediate need, don’t rule out in-home care due to common misconceptions. Contact your local Visiting Angels’ home care agency for an in-home, no-cost, no-obligation assessment. Our consultants will discuss your loved one’s specific situation, dispel any myths, answer your home care questions, and recommend a plan to provide the level of care that will meet your senior’s needs.