My wife and I dropped our son off at college last week, and my car went with him. I found myself at car dealerships looking at an overwhelming number of options. \u00a0Deciding on the make and model of the vehicle was just the beginning. \u00a0There were so many decisions and choices to make such as seating configuration, color choices and, of course, all of the optional equipment to consider. \u00a0The biggest issue always becomes what I want versus what I want to pay. \u00a0What is the best possible option to fulfill my \u201cwant list\u201d?<\/p>\n
When I think of how stressful car shopping can be, my mind quickly turns to those shopping for senior care services, and what a stressful, difficult ordeal that must become. \u00a0Being in senior home care for over 26 years, I know what is on the top of a senior\u2019s \u201cwant\u201d list – to remain at home. AARP confirmed this fact in an October 2006 report revealing that 90 percent of seniors prefer to stay in their homes and communities as they age.<\/p>\n
While over 90% of seniors prefer to remain at home, an overwhelming amount of decision-makers have a skeptical outlook and don\u2019t believe that long-term care in the home can be provided at an affordable price. \u00a0Many consider home care when needing a few hours a day, but when it comes to 24\/7 care, it is quickly scratched off their list even though it is their greatest desire. Before you settle, let us do some comparison shopping.<\/p>\n
The cost of 24\/7 home care versus facility care is always at the forefront of the decision process. \u00a0The truth is, the alternatives to home care can be quite pricey.<\/p>\n
The following numbers were taken from the Cost of Long Term Care Study, in which over 6,000 institutions were surveyed between April and May of 2010.<\/p>\n
– \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Assisted Living Facility: \u00a0$39,540 per year<\/p>\n
– \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Nursing Home: $90,155 per year, in some area\u2019s as high as $500.00\/ day<\/p>\n
– \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Home Health Aides (HHAs): $22.14 per hour<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The home care option above is priced at an hourly rate of $22.14, and is quickly eliminated as an affordable option. \u00a0What you don\u2019t see in these cost of care studies is the live-in daily rate. Live-in prices across the nation range from $160.00 to $250.00 per day, depending on your area and the home care agency you choose. If you break down the live-in daily rate, your hourly rate drops to as low as $6.67 to $10.42.\u00a0 Financially, your options may have just increased.<\/p>\n
A question you may be asking next is, \u201cWill I be forced settle for less quality of care by choosing a live-in daily rate versus hourly?\u201d<\/p>\n
No, all of the same quality services offered by the hourly caregiver can and are often provided by the live-in caregiver. \u00a0Nevertheless, it is important to understand how live-in home care is different than hourly home care. \u00a0The first and most significant difference is the continuity of care. \u00a0With a live-in caregiver, a client is serviced by one or two caregivers 24 hours a day, seven days a week. \u00a0The concern of having the revolving door syndrome, or experiencing different caregivers coming and going throughout the week, is quickly eliminated. Secondly, live-in caregivers tend to facilitate a closer bond that allows for a healthy relationship between the client and caregiver. When this quality companionship is a central part of the overall care plan, home is truly a special place again.<\/p>\n
While a live-in service doesn\u2019t provide 24 hours of bedside care, it does provide that 24 hour peace of mind that is often required in order for a loved one to remain in their home. \u00a0During the night, the live-in caregiver would be allowed to rest in a nearby bedroom and assist if the need arises. During the day the services that are performed are the same as hourly care. Some of these include preparing and serving meals, personal care assistance, homemaker chores and whatever else that may be required.<\/p>\n
This live-in service is the heart and soul of Preferred Care at Home. \u00a0I believe it must likewise be a central alternative for all home care agencies across the nation. \u00a0Quality services at affordable prices is what this industry must strive to attain. Five million baby boomers will turn 60-years-old each year, ten thousand per day, or eight per minute. These statistics simply mean that quality and affordable services are and will continue to be in high demand for decades to come.<\/p>\n
I believe that for a senior, their home is everything. \u00a0It is the window to their past, a safe haven for the present and a legacy for the future. And that\u2019s why Preferred Care at Home strives to offer these quality services at affordable prices.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
My wife and I dropped our son off at college last week, and my car went with him. I found myself at car dealerships looking at an overwhelming number of options. \u00a0Deciding on the make and model of the vehicle was just the beginning. \u00a0There were so many decisions and choices to make such as […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":74,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1501","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n