Taking care of your parents as they age is a reflection of the bond you’ve developed throughout your lifetime. Depending on their health conditions, Mom or Dad might need constant assistance to help manage everyday tasks. Though in-home care and moving your loved ones to a nursing home are both suitable care options, you’ll need to consider which one is better for your situation.
Often, in-home care is the better solution, as older adults prefer to age in a familiar setting. This guide explores each type of senior care and its advantages to help you decide how to assist your loved ones.
Nursing Home Care vs. In-Home Care
In-home care and nursing homes provide your loved ones with the care they need to help them age comfortably. Explore the characteristics of each option:
In-Home Care
With in-home care, a caregiver stays at your loved one’s residence for a set amount of time to help with basic companionship care. Their services often include general housekeeping, hygiene, medication reminders, meal preparation, and transportation, depending on your loved one’s needs. Ninety-seven percent of people who choose in-home health care need help with bathing, while 91% need help getting in and out of bed. You can either invest in part-time or full-time care based on how often you want someone in the home.
A companionship caregiver keeps your parent company and engages in social, physical, and mental activities, such as playing games with them or reading to them. As the companion takes part in these activities, they monitor Mom or Dad’s safety and well-being while helping them live independently. They can help your loved ones take their medications and arrange for additional medical care as needed.
Nursing Home Care
A nursing home usually helps those who require more than basic care. Your parents can get round-the-clock medical care at a facility fully staffed with skilled professionals. Caregivers at nursing homes deal with medical care, therapy, personal care needs, laundry, mobility issues, cleaning, and meals. These facilities offer semi-private or private rooms at an additional cost. They also tend to have fun activities to encourage interaction between residents. Some homes only allow older adults who meet specific age requirements.
In-Home Care vs. Nursing Home Care Cost
The cost of in-home care vs. nursing homes depends on the level of care, amount of care, and where you live. In general, in-home care is more affordable and has more flexible pricing options, especially when you hire companionship caregivers directly. You can also get financial assistance for most senior care through a Medicare or Medicaid supplemental insurance plan. A nursing home’s average cost per year is $93,075 for a semi-private room and $105,850 for a private room. You might have to pay more per year if you need additional or special services.
When you opt to hire an in-home caregiver, you may create an employment relationship with your parent’s caregiver. The pricing is highly flexible, as you only pay for the hours and level of care you need. You can also find professionals with specific qualifications to suit your loved ones’ medical conditions. If your family member only needs companionship care, you may be exempt from overtime pay requirements, since you employ the companion directly.
Non-medical paraprofessionals, such as home health care aides, usually cost $54,912 each year for full-time care. Homemaker services and companionship care cost $53,768 on average. You may have to pay an additional fee if you find your caregiver through an agency. When you hire an in-home companion directly, you can save money and have peace of mind as they care for your loved one, even during sleeping hours.
Patient Benefits of Home Care vs. Nursing Homes
With the costs and characteristics of each type of care in mind, explore the advantages of in-home care vs. a nursing home.
Benefits of In-Home Care
Older adults typically prefer in-home care because they enjoy being in the comfort of their own homes as they age. They tend to feel safe when they grow in a familiar place instead of transitioning to a nursing home. In-home care offers your loved ones a better quality of life because of the joy and independence it provides. When your loved ones are happy, they tend to need to visit the doctor less often.
According to a recent study done in San Francisco, in-home care provides the following benefits for your family:
- Peace of mind: Participants were more comfortable with in-home care, and a high percentage responded that they felt safe where they lived and found pleasure in their homes. As you care for your aging parents, you can give them a better quality of life by allowing them to age in place. You can also feel safe leaving them with a companionship caregiver as you take care of your daily responsibilities.
- Fewer doctor’s visits: Participants needed to visit the doctor less frequently, demonstrating an improvement in overall care. In fact, health care costs for participants decreased by an average of $1,712.96 per month in physician visits, hospitalizations, and emergency department visits.
Those who have the chance to age in place feel more secure and happy because they can still see their friends and keep up their routine. In-home care also gives older adults a sense of freedom. They tend to feel a sense of independence as they make their schedules and do their tasks instead of relying on others. They can also keep their pets and cook the foods they want to eat.
In-home care is more affordable and has more flexible pricing options. Since a senior caregiver will help your aging parents while you’re at work or tending to your other responsibilities, having someone staying with them in their homes gives you peace of mind.
Benefits of Nursing Homes
Though in-home care is better for many people, you might want to consider the advantages of a nursing home to make an informed decision about the care your parents need. Nursing homes provide opportunities for socialization, so your loved ones can either spend time meeting their neighbors or taking a break in their rooms. These facilities offer crafts, games, and fitness activities to help your parents stay active and get to know new people.
The constant access to medical care and other amenities is also attractive for the people who choose to put their parents in nursing homes. Medical professionals are on staff all the time to provide peace of mind that your aging parents will have their needs met. Those with Alzheimer’s or Huntington’s disease can have a safe place to wander as they are under supervision day and night.
Choosing the Best Care for Your Aging Parents
The best care for your loved ones depends on your unique situation. For most people, direct-hire in-home care is preferable over putting your loved ones in a nursing home. With in-home care, your parent is the caregiver’s only patient, so you can be confident that your loved ones will get the help they need throughout the day. They’ll also enjoy being in the comfort of their own home, a place they spent time developing and building over their lifetime.
Older adults can relive the memories they’ve made over the years and feel more peace if they age in place. Aging at home also improves their physical and mental health. With the flexible pricing options available for in-home care, you can save money by only paying for what you need.
Contact HomeWork Solutions for Senior Caregiver Tax and Payroll Support
Our team can help you navigate the financial aspects of directly hiring a caregiver for in-home care if you decide this option is suitable for your family. We offer assistance with developing payroll and dealing with taxes to pay your direct-hire in-home caregivers fairly. We’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have about senior care and the best ways to care for your loved ones. For more information about our services, contact us online or call 1-800-626-4829.