In our first of this two-part series on clarifying home care options, the nurses at Nightingale Homecare provided you with details on home health care. So now that you’re up to par on the medical side of home care, let’s talk about non-medical care – also known as custodial care, companion care, or live-in care.
Basically, this type of care encompasses all of those care tasks provided by a non-professional caregiver without any specific medical training. (Although at Nightingale, all of our caregivers are required to have extensive experience and training in providing care.)
These services are usually needed when someone is requiring companionship, a minimal amount of help with managing daily activities and/or to assure safety, such as in the case of someone who might be forgetting to turn off the stove.
Live-in care is provided when someone needs care around the clock. For safety reasons, live-in care is not right for everyone. If a patient is not able to call for help during the night, a live-in caregiver will not be appropriate. This type of caregiver will be sleeping at night and may not hear the patient trying to get up. This can result in a fall or serious injury.
The alternative to live-in care is when the agency provides caregivers that are required to remain awake at all times. In these cases, the same caregiver will not spend the night, but will be substituted for a caregiver who is rested and prepared to stay awake through the night to provide assistance when needed.
Private duty is a broad term that encompasses all types of in-home care, including custodial care, companion care, and live-in care as well as care provided by a nursing assistant, a nurse or another skilled professional, such as a physical therapist. Care is considered private duty when it is being paid for by a long-term care insurance policy or by the patient or his/her family. It can be short- or long-term and is often requested by patients that prefer to stay in the comfort of their own homes, rather than in a nursing home.
Some examples of private duty home care services include:
- Nursing care
- Long-term care of chronic disease
- Ventilator care/ trach care
- IV administration
- Tube-feeding administration
- Ostomy and stoma care
- Bathing/showering, grooming and dressing
- Recreational activities
- Incontinent care
- Oral care
- Medication reminders
- Light housekeeping/meal preparation
- Errands and shopping
- Companionship
- And much more
With Nightingale Homecare, whether your needs are for home health care, non-medical home care, or a combination of the two, we’re here for you! Our Phoenix senior care services cover a full range of needs, customized to each specific individual. Call us at 602-504-1555 and learn more!
