home care services Home Help for Seniors, Senior Home Care Helping Seniors Live Well at Home

What is Home Care?

Home Care Powered by AUAF is thrilled to have provided seniors in Chicagoland with quality home care services for 30 years as of 2023. It is our absolute privilege to offer older adults the support they require to live comfortably and confidently at home with some of the best services in the area.

If you’re just beginning your exploration into this service, knowing a home care agency cares for its clients is only a fraction of it. You’re likely wondering “what is home care?” more specifically, and if this type of service would even benefit you or your loved one. Thankfully, it is a fantastic option for older adults with a wide variety of needs.

What is home care?

Home care is a type of service that provides seniors assistance with non-medical caregiving at home. Primarily, these caregiving tasks refer to the activities of daily living (or ADLs) one must complete to live healthfully and happily at home. These include activities such as bathing, meal preparation, and companionship.

One crucial distinction to recognize is that at-home caregivers cannot provide medical care. If you or a loved one needs medication administered, your blood pressure taken, physical therapy, or any other procedure performed, you might instead benefit from a home health aide. However, if all you need is help with activities of daily living, an at-home caregiver could be right for you.

At-home caregivers are trained to provide their clients with the compassionate, dignified care they need. These professionals work tirelessly to ensure their client is never left wanting. With their caregiver’s help, seniors can be confident in their homes again.

What services can a home caregiver help with?

When one thinks of home care, personal care is often the first service that comes to mind. While it is certainly an important service offered, at-home caregivers can assist with so much more. They can help seniors who need day-to-day help, as well as those who only need help for a few hours a week. Care services include:

Personal care

Joint and muscle problems can make getting into the shower or lowering to the toilet a challenge. Similarly, Arthritis can make tasks like dressing feel near impossible. Caregivers provide necessary assistance with bathing, dressing, toileting, and other personal care needs to ensure clients are clean and safe from infection.

Meal preparation

Cooking can be exhausting or simply undesirable to many seniors. Caregivers are available to assist with every stage of the meal preparation process. Do you like cooking, but dislike having to plan for a meal and go grocery shopping? A caregiver can take care of that for you. If all of it is too stressful, your caregiver can take over making healthy meals from start to finish.

Medication reminders

Many seniors take a wide array of medications and supplements. Keeping track of what should be taken when, and how much, is confusing. If you need help with remembering what medications need to be taken and when, your caregiver can help. They will work with you to create a system of medication reminders and management that fits your needs.

Light housekeeping and laundry

Especially when spending so much time at home, a sanitary space is crucial. Many seniors, however, find this task exhausting. If you struggle to keep up with cleaning your home or doing your laundry, you could benefit from the help of a caregiver. They can assist with light housekeeping tasks such as sweeping, vacuuming, and dusting, as well as washing, folding, and putting away clothes.

Errands

Even if you once enjoyed running errands, many seniors find the task stressful whether it’s due to mobility issues or trouble driving. Whatever the reason is, your caregiver will gladly pick up any prescriptions, grocery shop, or run any other errand you have. As a result, you can be confident knowing your needs are taken care of.

Brain games and activities

Mental wellness makes a world of difference in your overall health. Caregivers know what brain games and activities are great for boosting your cognitive wellness and will happily partake in them with you. From board games, to puzzles, to crafts, there is something for every senior to enjoy.

Companionship

Aging in place can be isolating—especially for those with mobility issues. Isolation leads to feelings of depression and anxiety, which can even impact one’s cognitive health. Caregivers are available to engage in thoughtful conversation or to simply act as a listening ear.

Home Care Powered by AUAF will gladly assist with any combination of the services above. To learn about whether or not we’re right for you, give us a call at 773-274-9262.

A Guide to Catholic Charities Home Care Services for the Elderly

Overview of Catholic Charities Home Care Services for Seniors in Illinois

Catholic Charities is an organization that has provided assistance to people in need in Illinois for close to a century. They offer a wide range of services for seniors. As well as referrals to resources seniors and their families can use. This post provides a brief overview of those services and resources. It also discusses how to receive caregiver services for seniors in Illinois.

Catholic Charities Senior Services

Catholic Charities services include both senior services and recommendations for services focused on the elderly. These services range from adult care and food and nutrition programs; to catholic community services like counseling, case management, and senior housing. There is also job training for younger seniors who want to develop skills for future employment.

Counseling and case management are also crucial tools for older adults and their family members. As people get older, ongoing health, financial, and family issues can be exacerbated. Catholic Charities Chicago home health services offer a list of behavioral health and counseling services.

Case managers assist seniors by assessing them for catholic community services such as in-home care and other support programs. They can also step in and help facilitate cases suspected of elder abuse.

What to Know About Catholic Charities Home Care Services for the Elderly

Catholic Charities operates a homemaker services program for seniors. But these services are for seniors who cannot meet the requirements set forth by the Department on Aging in Illinois. These requirements are:

Being Age 60 or older
A resident of Illinois, a citizen of the United States, or a legal resident.
Must have a need for long-term care as assessed by a case manager or care coordinator.
Make $17,500 or less in non-exempt income.

What Kind of Services Do Caregivers Provide?

Seniors who qualify for in-home care services under the Medicaid program in Illinois can expect to receive assistance with services such as:

Personal care: Assistance with bathing, dressing, eating, grooming, and toileting
Light housekeeping: Help with vacuuming, mopping, and dusting.
Laundry assistance: Washing, folding, ironing, and sorting laundry.
Meal Prep: Preparing, serving and, cleaning up after a meal.
Errand-Running: Caregivers can run errands for clients, like going grocery shopping and picking up medications.
Companionship: Participate in activities and conversations designed to keep seniors engaged.

Obtaining Caregiver Services

A care manager or care coordinator will assess a senior and develop a care plan. The care plan covers what assistance the client needs. Also, how often they need it in the course of a given week, and the number of hours that a caregiver or family caregiver will be permitted to work in that span of time.

Home Care Powered by AUAF is an approved Medicaid provider of in-home care services for seniors in the surrounding Chicago area. We coordinate with a client’s care coordination unit or managed care organization to provide services to our clients according to their plan of care. They are provided to qualified clients at no out-of-pocket cost to them.

Becoming a Paid Caregiver for a Family Member

Federal and state governments have recognized the value of having family members serve as paid caregivers for elderly people for some time. Back in the mid-1990s, trial government programs called “Cash and Counseling” were created in a few states in the Medicaid fund system.

The Medicaid office, known as the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS[DM1] ) determined that because family members were often acting as unpaid caregivers and were unable to balance having a full time job with taking care of their elderly relatives, there was an opportunity to solve two problems at once by providing financial assistance to family caregivers.

In the years since, the term “cash and counseling” has been replaced in many places by “self-directed care.” In Illinois, the Cash and Counseling Program is now part of the Community Care Program through the Illinois Department on Aging.

Working with a Home Care Agency as a Paid Caregiver

An important aspect of any caregiver relationship is; to have a professional home care agency caregiver that can provide a caregiver support at every step of the process. A home care agency can provide the knowledge and training necessary for you; to succeed in your role as a caregiver. With that, they can also provide things like respite care for when you need time away.

Having a professional home care agency can also be important to ensure that your elderly relative’s care is provided without any paperwork problems. Or bureaucratic delays. You may also find that; being a paid caregiver is a rewarding career and wish to take on other care recipients as well.

Home Care Powered by AUAF can Help You Become a Paid Caregiver

In conclusion, Home Care Powered by AUAF is a home care agency; that can help walk you through the process of becoming a paid caregiver for your elderly relative living at home. We provide paid training and a competitive wage. While handling the necessary paperwork to get your loved one the care they need.

Meanwhile, Call us at 773-274-9262 or contact us today to see how the dedicated and professional team at Home Senior Care Powered by AUAF can help.

other related articles:

How to Become a Paid Caregiver for a Family Member in 4 Steps

Six Ways New Caregivers Can Succeed

Caregiving for a Stubborn Elderly Loved One

A Guide for New Caregivers

World Heart Day: Cardiovascular Disease and the Elderly

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including heart disease and stroke, are the world’s leading cause of death. More than 18 million people worldwide each year. The World Heart Federation seeks to raise awareness of CVD deaths on September 29^th by sponsoring World Heart Day, when seniors should take stock of their heart health and see what they can do to stay heart healthy. As with many conditions, the most effective prevention and control of CVD is through a healthy diet, exercise, and regular routine medical care. Seniors who live at home and need some extra help; may benefit from having an in-home care aide who can help you live a healthier lifestyle.

The Types of Cardiovascular Disease

It is generally agreed that there are four main types of CVD. They are:

Coronary Heart Disease occurs when the blood supply of your heart muscle is blocked, slowed or interrupted. This generally causes chest pain. This can lead to a heart attack.
Stroke and TIA. Most people think of a stroke as something that happens to the brain, which is true, but a stroke (or a Transient Ischemic Attack, commonly known as a “mini-stroke”) is an event in which the blood flow to the brain is disrupted. It can lead to brain damage or death. As with heart attack, the sooner treatment is sought, the better the chance at recovery.
Peripheral Arterial Disease is also known as Peripheral Vascular Disease. It causes pain, usually in the legs. Because of a blockage in the arteries that interrupts the blood flow to your limbs.
Aortic disease. The aorta is the largest blood vessel in the body. It carries blood away from the heart and to the rest of the body. When the aorta is damaged, as in an aortic aneurysm where the wall of the aorta is weakened and bulges, causing pain in the abdomen or chest.

Both the American Heart Association and the World Health Organization add other types of conditions to this list, including congestive heart failure, a chronic condition where the heart can’t keep up with its workload, and rheumatic heart disease, caused by damage to the heart valves. However, the four main types of CVD make up the large majority of cases.

Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease (Spoiler Alert: Smoking is one of them)

While it’s important to be cognizant of all of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease; it’s valuable to recognize that not all of them are within our control. For example, the first three risk factors that the Mayo Clinic lists are:

Risk increases as we get older. Nothing we can do about that.
Men are generally at greater risk, but women (see below) have different risks. Again, nothing to be done here.
Family History. Did your father or brother develop heart disease before age 55? Did a sister or your mother develop heart disease before 65? Important to know, but impossible to change.

Focusing on the things that we can control can help us reduce the risks such as aging; that we don’t have control over. Specifically, those risks include:

Smoking (told you so). It’s a significant risk, because the damage smoking does to your lungs means there won’t be enough oxygen in your blood.
While being overweight is not a specific risk in and of itself, it makes other risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and Type 2 Diabetes much worse.
High stress. It’s not just in your head. Stress can actually do damage to your arteries, and may worsen other risk factors like high blood pressure
Physical inactivity and unhealthy diet. Eating right and exercising are the answer to preventing many, if not most, physical and mental health conditions. Cardiovascular disease is no exception to that. Keeping active and eating well may be the most important things you can do.

Heart Disease and Elderly Women

While heart disease affects both men and women, given the differences in how it presents in women and historical biases in the healthcare system, heart attack and heart disease is the number one cause of death for women in the US. When the public talks about a heart attack, the depictions of it generally show someone grabbing their chest and falling to the ground. In fact, the early warning symptoms, especially in women, can be quite different. For many women, the first symptoms are nausea, vomiting and fatigue, which can lead many women to think that they just have a stomach flu. It’s important to take the possibility of heart disease seriously, especially if you have the risk factors mentioned above.

Getting Help Can Help

Having an at-home caregiver is a great way for seniors who live at home to make the lifestyle changes needed to keep CVD away. Whether it’s medication reminders to help you remember when to take your blood pressure medication, or meal planning to ensure fresh, healthy meals area available, an in-home care aide can provide valuable care. Even having someone come in to do light housekeeping for a few hours per week can make sure you’ve got the energy to get some heart-healthy exercise. Caregivers can help out with a variety of tasks that can help you stay healthy.

Home Care Powered by AUAF Is Keeping Seniors Heart Healthy

The dedicated caregivers and staff at Home Care Powered by AUAF want to see you live this World Heart Day and many more to come in a healthy and happy way. Find out more about how an in-home caregiver can help you or your elderly loved ones. And if you’ve got an elderly loved one for whom you want to become a paid caregiver, we can help arrange that as well. Give us a call at (773) 274-9262 or contact us to find out more.

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