Professional Home Care Services

Common types of in-home services:

There comes a time in everyone’s life where we, unfortunately, need to lean on others for help.  Whether you are recovering from a surgery or illness, or you are dealing with a chronic issue, getting a little extra help can keep us safe, healthy, and happy in our own home.  

This type of care is usually provided by friends, spouses, and other family members. When help is needed, a decision must be made.  “Do I help my loved one?” or “Should I bring in some extra help.  If the decision is to bring in some extra help, you should consider a few things.  

Not all in-home services are the same, and not all in-home providers are the same.  It is essential that you understand the differences and interview and find the right provider to feel comfortable.

Non-Medical Home Care

Non-medical home care refers to help and support in the home that does not require a medical skill.  Care is often provided by trained professionals skilled in assisting others with both Activities of Daily Living and instrumental activities of daily living (see below for definition of ADL’s and IADL’s).  The levels of care for non-medical home care cover and include:

• Companion services: Helping combat isolation and depression.  Provides supervision or assistance in recreational activities, or just simply visiting someone and being their friend.
• Homemaker services: Assisting with IADL’s like house cleaning, shopping, or meal preparation.  
• Personal care services: Assisting with ADL’s like bathing, dressing, toileting, exercise, or any other personal care task

These services can be done in 1hr visits or up to 24-hour care.  

Skilled Home Health Care

Talem Home Care does not provide these services in any of our offices.  However, we do partner with many fantastic skilled home health agencies and we can help you find the agency of your choice.  They provide services that require the skill of a clinician to oversee the care.  These clinicians can be nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapist, or certified nursing assistants.  They can help with wound care, injections, therapy, and other medical needs. In most cases, this level of care is paid for by Medicare. 

ADL’s & IADL’s

These activities involve helping the elderly or disabled with activities of daily living (ADL’s and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL’s).  ADL’s and IADL’s are the everyday key life tasks that we need to do to live independently and safely at home.  They could include activities like:

ADL’s:

• Bathing, getting in and out of the shower, washing one’s face and body
• Feeding, cooking of meals and sometime helping someone to get food from a plate into one’s mouth. 
• Walking, exercising or getting around the house. This is sometimes referred to as  “ambulation.” Keeping one safe while they use assistive devices like a walker or wheel chair.
• Getting Dressed and groomed, helping someone get dressed, combing of hair, or assisting in managing one’s personal appearance.
• Toileting, getting to and from the toilet, using it appropriately, and cleaning oneself.
• Transfers, changing body position one to another. Getting out of bed or out of a chair. This can also include the ability to stand up from a bed or chair in order to grasp a walker or other assistive device.

IADL’s:

• Managing finances, like paying bills.
• Managing transportation, either driving or escorting someone to appointments like a hairdresser or doctor.
• Shopping and meal preparation. Shopping for clothes, food, and other items.
• House cleaning and home maintenance. Cleaning bathrooms, kitchens , doing laundry, keeping one’s living space reasonably clean and tidy, 
• Managing communication, helping to write emails or letters or help setting appointments