24-Hour Care Guide

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The LifeWorx Guide to 24-Hour Home Care

It is hard to know when people might need 24-hour home care, particularly when there’s a temporary or chronic health condition, recovering from a traumatic injury or surgery, or a disability. This resource guide will provide you with the comfort and answers to your questions and our Care Team is available to help find a solution to help ease your family’s peace of mind.

24-Hour Home Care 101

What is the difference between live-in care and 24-hour home care?

Live-in care refers to caregivers staying in the home day and night to perform duties outlined in a care plan. One caregiver could work during the week and another on the weekends. Live-in caregivers are provided an 8-hour break and a sleeping bed to rest.

24-hour home care refers to two or more caregivers rotating shifts to ensure someone is always awake and available day and night to help the client when needed at any time.

Who can receive 24-hour home care?

People of any age can require 24-hour home care. The need for 24-hour home care may be temporary or ongoing. However, there are three general conditions that most often result in the need for 24-hour home care.

Temporary health-related conditions/recovery
A person may receive 24-hour home care while recovering from a traumatic injury or surgery. Having consistent in-home care help is more likely to speed the recovery of an injury or recovery post-surgery as the individual won’t have a chance to risk a physical setback or further injury.
Chronic health-related conditions
Chronic conditions remain stable or slowly get worse over time. Examples of chronic conditions include paralysis resulting from a spinal cord injury, Parkinson’s disease, or frailty associated with old age.
Terminal conditions
Terminal conditions are life-threatening illnesses or injuries that are expected to result in death. For most people who are terminally ill, 24-hour home care is often needed, even if it’s only for a short time.

When is it time for 24-hour home care?

While you may want to personally care for a loved one or a friend, it may not always be physically, emotionally, or financially possible to provide 24-hour help. Here are some situations in which it’s advisable to enlist 24-hour help:

You are not physically capable of moving the person you are caring for.
You are the only one caring for that person.
The person’s cognitive problems make it very frustrating to care for them.
You have a job.
You feel overwhelmed.

How do you discuss with someone if they need home care?

24-hour home care is a great choice for seniors that want to age in place. It can also be met with some resistance, anxiety, and uncertainty. It’s normal for loved ones to have these questions:

How will I tell mom and/or dad that they now require around-the-clock care?
What does this service entail exactly?
What adjustment do I need to make to ensure that the caregiver is also comfortable?
What if the caregiver isn’t a good “fit” for my loved one?

The best way to lessen the resistance and uncertainty regarding 24-hour home care is to become informed.

The first thing you’ll want to establish is that the caregiver is simply here to help. Having a very clear understanding of what the home care provider will or will not do before they even begin almost immediately brings a sense of relief.
Listen to their concerns. If your loved one has concerns about 24 hour-home care, allow them to express their feelings. They’ll feel better knowing that their opinion has been heard.
Finding the right fit. Sharing a living space with anyone can be challenging, especially if your loved one has lived on their own for decades. Therefore, it is important that when hiring a home health aide, you not only look for someone who is extremely well-qualified from a medical perspective, but also for a person whose personality meshes with your loved one.
The transition takes time to get used to. It can take several months to adjust to someone being constantly home, but communication and transparency go a long way.
Getting the home ready. If you plan to have 24-hour home care, there are regulations to be adhered to. If scheduled caregivers come in for 8-to-12-hour shifts, then the home health aide is expected to remain awake throughout the shift and sleeping arrangements do not have to be made.

What if a loved one I care about disagrees about 24-hour home care?

It can become difficult as different family members have different opinions when it comes to what kind of care an elderly parent should receive. Some may believe it’s best to get an external caregiver, while others believe that someone in the family should be the caregiver.

Whatever the opinion is, you must listen to all opinions in the process. When it comes to any decision for your elderly parent, you will most likely run into some sort of conflict. Whether the conflict comes from disagreements with family members or something else, just remember your goal. You want to do what is best for your parent. You will want to approach all discussions with an open mind.

What is overnight care for the elderly?

Overnight care is exactly as it sounds and sees the resident receiving support and care from late in the evening until the early morning. Typically, the fully trained caregiver will be on hand to help with things such as dressing and undressing, toileting, and getting around their apartment.

Overnight care is a particularly popular choice for those elderly patients who still can carry out day-to-day tasks, but need additional support for some activities.

FEATURED FAQ

How can LifeWorx support the home care process?

LifeWorx works with clients and their families to ensure and facilitate a smooth home care process by suggesting:

Document all the details of what your loved one needs and the type of caregiver you hope to find.
Based on your or your loved one’s needs and personality preferences, a client relations manager will hand-select 2-3 great candidates for you to meet and interview. Then all you must do is choose the best caregiver for your loved one.
With our extensive screening process, we guarantee an ideal match for your loved one’s needs. Recruiters will stay in contact with active workers weekly and “Client Relationship Manager and Directors” will stay in contact with clients weekly. If any issues were to arise, they are handled immediately.

General Questions

What are the benefits and drawbacks of 24-hour home care?

Some benefits of 24-hour home care include:

Staying in their home
This is the ideal solution for loved ones who want to age in place and benefit from having a caregiver with them to ensure their safety while bringing peace of mind to them and their family members.
Security
From long-term health problems to dementia, some aging adults have illnesses that put them at risk for falls, wandering or forgetfulness. Having a 24/7 plan of care can give you the peace of mind to know that your senior is always safe.
Socialization/Activities
Some aging adults have a hard time doing the things they love without assistance. An in-home caregiver can assist your senior to live a life they love by helping with activities and socialization.
Giving the family caregiver a break
We know you love your senior family member, but you don’t have to do everything by yourself.

Some drawbacks of 24-Hour Home Care include:

Cost
At some point, you may not be able to sustain the cost of 24-hour care.
Medical needs
Care for your loved one may start well enough, but in time the complexity of their medical problems might exceed what the personal care agency can provide.
Caregiver manager
Turnover in the caregiver industry is very high. On a practical level, this means you might find a caregiver you like, and then they leave the agency. There is also the problem of inconsistent care throughout the week due to multiple caregivers coming in.

How do I get started with 24-hour care services?

Once you’ve figured out your needs, it’s time to evaluate which home care services are right for your loved one.

Here is an overview of how a client would get started with services:

Decide whether in-home care is needed
Keep in mind that your loved one may be resistant to receiving in-home senior care. Recognize and talk with your loved one about the fact that this process may be difficult, but that working with a caregiver will have many advantages.
Decide what services are needed
Work with your loved one to determine his or her care needs. Be sensitive to his or her wishes and remember that your loved one may be in denial about how much help he or she needs.
Decide who to hire
There are several options: you can designate a family member to provide care, hire an individual directly, or hire a caregiver through an agency. LifeWorx has been in the business of screening and interviewing thousands of caregivers for 18 years, so we are well-positioned to find the right match. If the initial choice does not work out, LifeWorx provides additional options until everyone is completely happy.
Interview caregivers and choose one, begin service
The client relations manager selects the best caregiver and arranges an introduction between the caregiver and care recipient. During that meeting, everyone reviews the plan of care to ensure agreement and understanding of the services to be provided.
Paying for home care
The cost of in-home care varies greatly by state, circumstance, type, and level of care that will be provided. The best way to find out about the cost of care for you or your loved one is to speak to a professional care coordinator. Payment is dealt with through CRM and accounting or also with our long-term care administrator.

Will I be able to reach someone at your agency after hours and how should I do so?

LifeWorx will stay in contact with a client’s family through phone, e-mail, and text. Our Client Relations Managers will work with you throughout your relationship with LifeWorx.

How do caregivers and clients communicate typically?

Constructive and effective communication allows you the opportunity to inform and build positive relationships between the client and caregiver. Usually, they first communicate when the client manager sets up an interview/trial. If they move forward, they can decide what the best way to regularly communicate with them is.

Keeping an open, honest line of communication will benefit everyone. Your client’s family members will be grateful for your efforts to get to know them and keep them informed. The caregivers typically communicate with the loved ones of the person receiving care over the one by text. However, when you use several different communication methods, it’s important to know when to use each one.

Our care team is reachable and available to support and facilitate should any issues arise between the caregiver and client.

What are the essential skills of a caregiver?

Compassion
This is one of the most critical skills of a caregiver, especially since the caregiver may be aiding someone suffering from physical or mental disabilities. Caregivers need to take the time to sympathize with their patients’ conditions by understanding their struggles.
Flexibility
Patients with disabilities don’t operate on a 9-to-5 schedule like the regular workweek, so caregivers must be completely aware that every day with their patients may be different depending on pain levels and their emotional state.
Commitment to long-term quality care
Caregiver-patient relationships develop based on time and trust. Caregivers who can commit to their patient’s care on a long-term basis have a better chance of establishing a positive relationship that then deepens reliability and trust.
Effective communication skills
Strong communication skills go together with being a caregiver. Many clients require assistance with medication reminders, companionship, and daily living activities, and depend on day-to-day conversations under their care plan.
Patience and problem-solving
When faced with changes or challenges in the day, caregivers need to be able to recenter themselves. On a personal level, they must be able to remember that their patients are all capable of a wide range of emotions and mobility issues.

How can LifeWorx help with 24-hour care?

If you believe your loved one might need 24-hour care, contact LifeWorx today. We offer 24-hour home care services that meet the physical and mental needs of aging loved ones. Our top priority is to provide high-quality in-home care and we want you and your family to have peace of mind.

LifeWorx will be your expert along the way – drawing on our 18 years of experience. Our team-based approach involves more than helping with tasks and daily activities – we also focus on enhancing your quality of life. Visit one of our offices today and speak with one of our team members about how to get the most of 24-hour home care services.

How to Find a Caregiver

Through a comprehensive interview and selection process, LifeWorx will help you find a caregiver that suits your needs and have them set up in just a few days.

Our Unique Interview and Selection Process

How long does it take to set up 24-hour care?

Services can typically be set up within 24-48 hours after your in-home assessment. Typically, a client relations manager can start service immediately if it is a dire situation, but for a more in-depth search and to match up a caregiver with a client, it will take 1-2 weeks max.

What are the qualifications for a 24-hour caregiver?

To evaluate a potential caregiver, you’ll need to judge a few things for yourself. Any good caregiver – whether he or she is an independent provider or employed by an agency – should have six qualities.

A professional appearance
Appearance provides clues about a person’s attitude and commitment. A professional caregiver should be clean, well-groomed, and dressed appropriately for the job.
Good observational skills
Good caregivers are observant. They must be sensitive to changes in the patient’s condition – especially those the patient can’t describe directly.
Good communication skills
A caregiver must be able to communicate clearly with folks who have perceptual problems. Ironically, good communication skills can sometimes make a caregiver seem a bit off during the first meeting.
An open mind
Caregivers and care receivers are often quite different – in age, gender, and perhaps religious or ethnic background as well.
A sense of humor
Professional caregivers know how to expect the unexpected. An even temperament and a dose of good humor are essential in a caregiver whose work may be some times unpleasant.
Quiet self-confidence
Quiet self-confidence is essential in a caregiver. After all, part of the caregiver’s job is to provide reassurance to you and your loved one. A good caregiver helps both patient and family member feel that every thing is in good hands.

There are many different home health care certifications and training that aides can go through to become licensed home care professionals. It is important to know if the aides looking after your elderly parents or loved ones are Certified Nurse Assistants, Certified Home Health Aides, or have gone through other appropriate and licensed training.

What qualities should I look for when hiring a caregiver for 24-hour care?

Our goal is to ensure both our professional in-home caregivers and clients have the best and most fulfilling experience possible. At LifeWorx, our caregivers are meticulously screened through two interviews, reference checks, and background checks, to determine if they are eligible to work with LifeWorx clientele.

When looking for a professional in-home caregiver for a senior loved one, it’s important to someone who has the following qualities.

Honest and trustworthy. Honesty and trustworthiness are the vital traits that a professional caregiver must have. It can be tricky to know in advance whether a prospective caregiver is honest without additional research. You can apply background checks to rule out any issues with caregivers you’re considering hiring for a loved one.
Trained and experienced. LifeWorx can match your aging loved one’s requirements to a qualified caregiver and we match the caregiver’s certification and license to verify their professional expertise.
Patient and compassionate. Professional caregivers should not only be patient, but they also should have empathy and kindness. Quality caregivers should be excellent at communicating in clear and simple words.
Effective communication skills. It’s necessary to find someone with effective communication, especially when it comes to caring for seniors with dementia or health issues.
Professionally Insured. If you hire an uninsured caregiver, you may be financially responsible for injuries, or damages caused by both your loved one and the caregiver in terms of the services provided.

What services does 24-hour care not provide?

They can perform any services within the scope of home care and certain caregivers have experience beyond that they may be willing to perform as well, for example, some caregivers have personal assistant skills and can arrange appointments, help with bill paying, correspondence, etc.

Can I interview each of these caregivers? Can my parent or spouse meet with each caregiver to see if there’s a good fit?

When you need to choose a caregiver for your loved one, it’s important to find the right caregiver that can improve the quality of your loved one’s life. Therefore, interviewing a potential candidate is a must! It’s important to be prepared to ask questions about the caregiver’s personality, credentials, and knowledge.

If you wish to meet the care provider before services start, we can set up an interview, trial, phone, or video call to determine whether the candidate will be a good fit in your loved one’s home.

All caregivers are screened thoroughly to determine the quality of their work. Recruiters stay in contact with active workers weekly while Client Relationship Managers and Directors will stay in contact with clients weekly.

Will the client receive a written care plan before service begins?

If a client wants a care plan/or doesn’t already have one from their doctor, we have nurses we can send out to perform that, but it does come with an added cost ($275 for in-person, $137.50 for telehealth).

Do your caregivers have expertise in specific health needs?

As an organization, LifeWorx caregivers have provided in-home care to elderly adults for more than 15 years. Over this time, we’ve cared for seniors and families with a wide range of care needs. Over the years, as your loved one’s care needs change, our caregivers will quickly adapt to these changes by adjusting your loved one’s care plan.

Our caregivers are committed to exceptional senior home care and often, that means specialized training for specific health needs such as Alzheimer’s, dementia, and limited mobility. The skillset of our caregivers are unique and many of them are highly skilled in these areas: catheter, nebulizer, colostomy bag, oxygen tank, gait belt, and much more.

When you speak with our team, make sure to note any unique needs your loved one may have.

What if someone can’t make their shift/needs time off?

When you allow LifeWorx to refer one of our caregivers to provide compassionate and quality care to your loved one, we hope this person becomes a trusted and valued part of your life. Our team of dedicated experts takes the time to assist you through the choosing process to find a caregiver who matches your exact needs.

Unfortunately, there will be some circumstances where your caregiver needs time off and is unable to provide services for a day or a short period of time. If for whatever reason, your caregiver is unable to come to your home, our care team will let you know ahead of time and find coverage for your loved one.

Schedule and Shifts

What does a typical day look like in 24-hour home care?

24-hour home care in the comfort of your loved one’s home is about much more than just practical assistance. It’s about improving their lifestyle without asking them to change the way they like to do things and creating new opportunities that might otherwise have been out of reach. Below is a brief agenda of what 24-hour home care looks like:

Morning
- Getting up
  The caregiver is here to offer any support that’s required, whatever that may look like. It may be that your loved one needs some medication or needs help in getting dressed. Or they may need support in getting to the bathroom and even someone to tend to more personal needs.
- Having a shower
  For families thinking about elderly relatives, bathroom safety is usually at the top of the list of concerns. Bathing is a personal thing and your loved one may simply need help getting in and out of the bath. Whatever, the care recipient needs, a caregiver is there to work around their wishes and create the most comfortable environment possible.
- Brushing teeth
  When it comes to oral hygiene for the elderly, consistency is key, and a caregiver is there to make sure your loved one brushes every morning and evening.
- Getting ready
  Caregivers are on hand to help your loved one get dressed a task which only gets more difficult for those with joint trouble.
- Taking medication
  However complex your loved one’s medication needs are, a caregiver must make sure to stick to a strict schedule.
- Looking after a home takes a lot of hard work at any age
  A caregiver can help with general housekeeping and offer everything from light assistance to full responsibility for all domestic chores.
- Having breakfast and chatting
  A caregiver is as much there to offer companionship as physical and medical support. A loved one’s downtime becomes something that keeps their mind engaged and a sense of isolation at bay. At LifeWorx, we carefully match caregivers with care recipients so they can develop a real rapport and genuine friendship.

Afternoon
- Meeting friends
  Care recipients can stay connected to their social circle by getting to and from events outside of their homes instead. The more they maintain relationships that have underscored their lives to date, the more secure in their identity they’re likely to feel.
- Get some exercise
  A caregiver will make exercises an intrinsic part of your loved one’s routine, whether those are chair exercises or a gentle walk to the shops. Frequent exercises are great for morale and significant health benefits.

Evening
- Dealing with “sundowning”
  If your loved one is struggling with dementia, the late afternoon and early evening can be a troubling period. A caregiver is on hand to offer support unit the sunset passes. They may use a range of techniques to calm the situation down, from keeping their mind busy with another activity.
- Preparing dinner
  There’s nothing like a home-cooked meal at the end of a long day and your loved one’s caregiver is here to put together something. A caregiver will make sure it’s something your loved one enjoys and that their balanced diet is met.
- Getting ready for bed
  After a long day, it’s important to get a good night’s rest – but those can be harder to come by in later life. It’s up to the caregiver to put in place the routine that’ll make it easy. Developing consistency is important to ensure a happy and healthy lifestyle in the long term.

What does it mean to have “round-the-clock” care?

There may come a time when you or someone you love requires full-time care and support at home. “Round-the-clock” care is ideal for those coming home from the hospital after surgery, suffering from a debilitating condition, or even for family caregivers who require time away.

There are many advantages to having “round-the-clock” care such as:

Personal, consistent, one-on-one attention and assistance
Remain in the home you love with family and friends close by
Peace of mind – no need to worry about being alone and waiting for help to arrive if something goes wrong
Help with personal care, no matter what time of day
Assistance with bathing and dressing, meal prep and nutrition, housekeeping, and laundry
Companionship 24 hours a day
Medication reminders

If you choose 24-hour care, you can take comfort in knowing our caregivers are:

Insured and carefully screened with criminal background checks
Well-trained and highly skilled
Matched to best suit your needs and preferences
Client-focused and carefully following care plans based on nursing best practices, policies, and procedures

How many caregivers should I expect during a shift? How are shifts divided?

To ensure that the client is always taken care of, two or more caregivers take turns on shifts to be awake and available day and night. With “24-hour” caregiving, there will be 2-3 caregivers who work 8-12 hour shifts in the care recipient’s home, providing around-the-clock care. This type of live-in care is more appropriate for individuals who have higher care needs.

This is very different from live-in care, where caregivers require a space of their own and truly “live” in the home, sleeping at night (but willing to be awakened, and alerted when the client needs help).

Should a caregiver do 12-hour day and night shifts or just live-in?

Overnight caregivers are in the home for 8-12 hours and stay awake their entire shift to avidly supervise your loved one at night.

Live-in caregivers stay in the home day and night to perform duties outlined in the care plan. Live-in caregivers are provided a 6 to 8-hour break, a sleeping bed to rest, and a minimum of 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep.

For 24-hour care, our caregiving team rotates shifts to ensure someone is always awake and available day and night to help the client when needed at any time.

How long will the caregiver stay with my loved one?

In general, if the client is happy with the caregiver, they can stay. Otherwise, it depends on if the schedule is split between 2 people throughout the week, for example, one does 5 days and another 2, or 4 and 3, or if it’s just one caregiver doing 7 days straight. In that case, many go several months before requesting a break and we would provide a fill-in while they’re gone.

How are services scheduled? Will I always receive the same caregiver?

Our goal is to provide consistent care from a well-matched caregiver, so we try to make sure it’s the perfect fit off the bat and there won’t be any unpredictability in who is there. Services ideally have a set schedule prepared in advance, but if there are any necessary changes, clients can communicate that with us or relay the message directly to the caregiver as well.

Are there breaks available to caregivers?

In addition, the caregiver is given a 4-hour break during daytime hours. During this break, another caregiver may or may not cover for the primary caregiver, depending on the care recipient, his/her needs, and the decision of the family. An alternative caregiver works the days the primary caregiver is off.

Can I change or discontinue the services my loved one receives?

You can change the frequency, several hours per week, or type of service we provide your loved one whenever it’s necessary. We understand the care situation can quickly change, so we’re as flexible as possible with your loved one’s care.

When changing or discontinuing services, you should stay in touch with your client relations manager so we can meet your specific needs and unique situation.

How is a shift verified that it was completed?

The caregivers submit an invoice for their time every week and then we bill clients on a biweekly basis, but don’t process payment without their review of the details and approval.

What if my caregiver is always late for their shift?

If for whatever reason, a client is unhappy or it’s just not the right fit, we will make a change. In general, our caregivers all have their reliable transportation and extensive vetting of past references including questions on tardiness so it’s incredibly rare.

FEATURED FAQ

How can a caregiver ensure my environment is safe?

As a caregiver, you or your loved one must be cared for in a safe environment. A caregiver should assess your home with diminishing abilities and special requirements in mind to make sure they are in safe surroundings. A qualified in-home caregiver can help you assess the situation and recommend modifications that can prolong the senior’s ability to remain at home.

Caregiver’s Role and Responsibilities

What are some duties a caregiver will provide during 24-Hour Care?

Caregivers are equipped to handle a wide variety of needs, providing stability and continuity of care. Whether you’re looking for an emotional support companion or respite services, you’ll find exactly what you need when you enlist the help of a caregiver from 24-hour home care.

Here are some of the duties that an in-home caregiver can provide to you or your loved ones:

Light housekeeping
Light housekeeping services provide you with an environment that you and your loved ones are comfortable living in, rather than moving to an assisted living facility that may not feel like home.
Meal preparation
If you or your loved ones are struggling to prepare and consume healthy meals or snacks, it may be time to hire an in-home caregiver to help.
Medication reminders
Caregivers will ensure that you and your loved ones are safe while taking the medication prescribed to you and that you are not taking medication outside of your prescribed plan.Caregivers are hand-selected for their clients based on common interests and matched personalities, which allows the care provider and their client to bond over their like-minded hobbies.
Respite Care
Respite care allows primary caregivers to take a break from their usual duties of being responsible for their patients, allowing them to take care of themselves.
Personal Care
Personal care services are a wide variety of services where a caregiver provides hands-on services that help your loved one achieve daily activities such as grooming, bathing dressing, etc.

What would live-in caregivers do?

Live-in caregivers are like 24-hour home care with the difference being that the 24-hour caregiver is always awake and attentive.

Live-in caregivers provide all the same types of care and have all the same duties as other home care or home health care workers. In addition to supervision, they can provide:

Personal care
Assistance with the activities of daily living
Companionship
If trained, nursing services

It is very common for live-in caregivers to also prepare meals, do light house cleaning, give medication reminders, do the shopping, and provide transportation assistance for recreational activities or medical appointments.

Will the caregiver have a medication management program?

Yes, the caregiver needs to work with all health care providers to keep track of the medicines your loved one takes. Below are tips on managing medications for your client:

Make a list of medications (both prescription and nonprescription) the person is taking and keep it up to date
Tell the doctor all about the drugs the client is taking and bring the list along to each office visit. This information will help the doctor prescribe and properly monitor the person’s medication.
Make a care plan with the providers
Discuss the plan of care with each provider regularly. Learn as much as you can about your client’s health conditions. Be sure to ask the provider all your questions about the medicines your loved one takes.
Establish guidelines for daily, weekly, or monthly medications
If the person has trouble remembering to take medication, try associating doses with specific times of the day, such as getting up in the morning, bedtime, or with meals.
Keep a medication schedule (in the form of a calendar)
Logging medication intake daily and each time the client takes their prescribed medication ensures the family of the client, as well as their team of medical professionals, have access to a daily log of the prescription drugs that were taken, as well as how it may have affected them such as side effects of how the individual felt after taking them.
Keep the client’s prescriptions up to date
If the doctor wants the person to continue taking a medication that is nearing its expiration date, be sure to inform the doctor as soon as possible so that he or she can call the pharmacist to renew the prescription or write a new one.

How does a caregiver help with activities of daily living?

As the name suggests, activities of daily living (ADLs) are essential personal tasks that people do on an everyday basis. Health issues and aging may make it difficult for seniors to complete certain everyday self-care tasks that are essential to keep them healthy and safe.

Basic ADLs include six essential skills:

Bathing and showering
The ability to bathe and maintain personal hygiene, which can include tasks like brushing teeth, combing hair, and nail care.
Continence
Having complete control of bowels and bladder.
Dressing
The ability to select appropriate clothes and outerwear for the weather or occasion, and to get dressed independently.
Mobility
Being able to walk or transfer from one place to another, specifically in and out of a bed or chair.
Feeding (excluding meal preparation)
The ability to get food from plate to mouth, and to chew and swallow.
Toileting
The ability to get on and off the toilet and clean oneself without assistance.

What are some special circumstances a caregiver may handle?

In some cases, a person’s needs or situation requires the expertise and training of a registered nurse or another professional caregiver. But with proper training and guidance, most home caregivers can learn to perform these tasks.

Incontinence
The inability to control the passage of urine or stool, is usually caused by an underlying disease or condition. Incontinence can be a major problem when caring for a patient. One way to deal with incontinence is to establish a toilet routine: encourage the person to use the toilet at frequent, regular intervals. Provide any necessary assistance promptly, to prevent accidents.
Managing intravenous medications
Some people need intravenous therapy, which is the infusion of nutrients or medication directly into the bloodstream. In a home-care setting, this treatment is usually provided by a visiting nurse who has been trained to perform the procedure.
Risk of immobility
Many people who are confined to bed develop problems related to immobility, which is a significant complication of many major illnesses. Heart rate, or pulse, is a good indicator of how well a person’s cardiovascular system can handle being out of bed.
Respiratory function
It’s important for a person who is confined to a bed to maintain good respiratory function. Encourage the person to do deep-breathing exercises and cough to expand his or her lungs and help prevent pneumonia. If the person develops symptoms including coughing, difficulty breathing, sputum that is green, gray, yellow, or brown, or develops a fever, he or she may have pneumonia. If you notice these symptoms, contact the doctor immediately.

What if my caregiver doesn’t have access to transportation?

Caregivers are required to have a car for transportation to and from work if you are in New Jersey, Westchester County, Connecticut, or Long Island. Some families may provide a car to use on the job, if not, the cost of mileage will be reimbursed to you. Please keep in mind you are only reimbursed for mileage used with the client.

What if our caregiver gets hurt on the job?

All our caregivers have worker’s compensation insurance, so if they do get injured while working, they’re covered.

If a caregiver is injured on the job, we suggest getting medical treatment and if It is a medical emergency call 911 or go to an emergency room right away! After seeking medical treatment, you should report the injury to your agency. Finally, talk to your agency on how you can make your workplace safe to prevent future illnesses or injury.

The safety of our client and caregivers are of paramount importance to LifeWorx. All caregivers contribute to a maintaining a safe work environment for our clients.

Daily Activities and Environment

How will the caregiver ensure safety and 24-hour monitoring?

How can a caregiver ensure daily hygiene care for a loved one?

A lack of personal hygiene is a crucial sign that your senior loved one needs assistance with ADL (activities of daily life). It’s important for you and the caregiver to have honest discussions about what loved one is comfortable receiving help with, which will help relieve their stress while helping the caregiver establish trust.

Providing care in this way to someone is private and personal. It’s best to discuss these things ahead of time to know what they want help with. Also, if they refuse help with certain tasks, make sure they have the knowledge and tools to handle their hygiene needs.

Daily hygiene tasks can include, but are not limited to:

Grooming, Bathing, and Personal Hygiene
- Grooming, bathing, and hygiene are very personal activities. It will be important for the caregiver to provide as much privacy and independence as possible during these activities. A specific task may be done more quickly if you do it yourself, but you should always try to let the person you are caring for perform the task whenever possible – although only if it’s safe to do so.

Dressing
- It’s important to make certain your loved ones have clean, dry clothing available to wear. Make sure the choices you have selected are in good repair and weather appropriate. Allowing your loved one to choose what to wear encourages independence and minimizes the hassle for your loved one of choosing between too many options.

Toileting
- If your loved one requires assistance with toileting, it can be an uncomfortable task for both of you. It’s important to be considerate when talking about toileting and providing toileting assistance in the same way you would provide any other kind of help. Your loved one may require extra assistance in clean-up. It’s best to approach in matter-of-factly and provide quick, but thorough clean-up. As you spend more time with your loved one, it will become part of the regular routine, making it easier for both of you.
- Keep a regular bathroom schedule to ensure there are no accidents. In between bathroom breaks, look for signs your loved one many need to use the restroom.

How does a caregiver feed or provide food for seniors?

Meal preparation and eating healthy and nutritional food is such an important part of staying well, especially for seniors. If you or a loved one is struggling with meal preparation or clean up, our home care services can help.

Meal preparation assistance for the elderly is not just about cooking but involves so much more. Our elderly care services providers are ready to:

Help seniors plan meals
- Planning a single meal can be an involved task. Planning meals for the week can seem impossible, especially as we get older. It’s important to stay on a regular and balanced diet that will provide seniors the strength needed to live independently. Our in-home caregivers can take food inventory and make shopping lists or menus. They can help track with recommendations from your doctor and tailor meals to any medical conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure.

Help seniors shop for groceries
- Caring for seniors isn’t just about keeping track of what you have and need, but also how you will get it. If you’re unable to go to the store, the caregiver will go and handle your shopping needs.

Prepare and cook meals for seniors
- For seniors who have health or mobility issues, preparing a meal can be very difficult. Our in-home caregivers can prepare the meals for them or simply provide supervision and assistance as needed. They can prepare your elderly loved one’s favorite and familiar foods, offering as much or as little assistance as is needed.

Provide companionship for seniors
- LifeWorx caregivers are available for as little as a few hours per day or as much as live-in when needed. In addition to taking care of basic household chores like cooking and cleaning, they provide conversation and companionship, accompanying your loved one on errands and to lunches, dinners, and shows. They can also communicate with other family members to let them know how your loved one is doing, imparting joy and peace of mind to the individual and his/her relatives.

Do overnight caregivers sleep?

A live-in caregiver needs a place to sleep and keep their belongings. Live-in caregivers also need time to sleep during the night.

With “live in” caregiving, there is generally the main caregiver who works between 4-5 days each week, providing 24-hour care during this time. The caregiver is given 8 hours to sleep at night. Although his/her sleep may be disrupted to provide care throughout the night.

Costs

How much does 24-hour care cost?

24-hour care for eldercare will vary for payment, but typically it is between $400-$500 depending on the level of care, the average is $425-$450.

Are there differences in rates?

24-hour live-in care is a flat rate, versus 24-hour care done in 12-hour shifts which are hourly. Additionally, if the care is for a couple rather than a single individual, the rate may be higher.

Who pays the caregiver?

LifeWorx pays the candidates weekly for their services unless the client wants to manage the administrative and insurance aspects; the client can pay a one-time placement fee.