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What is 24 Hour Care at Home?

Posted on April 28, 2020 by Justin Currie

When your elderly loved one is in need of care around the clock, it can be difficult for you and your family members to juggle — especially when perhaps work, distance, and your own families to care for are factors. Visiting regularly is certainly an option, but you may find an added stress when you realize that your loved one needs more care than just frequent check-ins.

What is 24 Hour Care at Home?

Knowing your options is key to beginning to make the right choice for your loved one. While you and your family may worry about moving your elderly relative to an assisted living facility, this is not your only choice. You have tons of options when it comes to in home care, one of which includes 24-hour care.

How to Know if Your Loved One Needs 24-Hour Care

To start, it’s important to look for indicators that your loved one is in need of 24-hour care. Some of these signs you’ll notice from your elderly parent or relative can include:

• Needing help with dressing, eating, drinking, or other normal activities
• Slower movement, especially when it comes to using the bathroom, which can lead to frequent accidents
• Confusion, or other signs of dementia
• Bruising that can indicate falls, or decreased mobility

It’s important to be observant of these signs, and not to wait for your loved one to tell you if they need help. Aging, in itself, can be a difficult time for your loved one. Asking for help can have them feeling like their losing independence, or worse, that they may need to leave their homes.

Luckily, with 24-hour care, your loved one can remain comfortable in his or her home. This type of care is provided by a home aide who is highly trained to help your elderly parent or relative with the specific care that he or she needs.

What is 24-Hour Care?

24-hour care is different than live-in care. With live-in care, usually one caregiver will provide assistance during the week, and another caregiver will take over on the weekends. 24-hour care usually consists of two or more caregivers who rotate shifts day and night.

This type of care ensures that your loved one continuously has the attention that he or she needs, no matter what time of day or night. Because of the shift rotations, the caregivers are alert and ready for whatever it is that your loved one may need. This is especially ideal if your loved one suffers from sundown syndrome or tends to wander at night.

Learn More About 24-Hour Care

If you think that your loved one may be in need of 24-hour care, our team at WellSprings Home Care is here to help. To learn more, contact us at (610) 463-0880, and one of our friendly team members will be happy to answer any questions or concerns.

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Is Hospice 24-Hour Care?

Posted on April 28, 2020 by Justin Currie

Deciding that hospice is the next step for your elderly loved one may evoke some sadness or fear for you and your family. Hospice may feel like the end of the road, or like death is inevitable for your loved one. However, this special type of care offers so many new resources that may begin to have you feeling relieved and like your loved one is receiving the care that he or she needs.

Is Hospice 24-Hour Care?

Hospice is about keeping a patient comfortable after treatment has ceased to work. With the help of the patient’s primary caregiver, this comfort is provided around the clock, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. You can already see how this option can provide you and your loved one with peace of mind, in addition to a level of ease you wouldn’t have had otherwise.

What Does Hospice Care Provide?

Let’s begin by looking at the specifics of exactly what hospice care is and the services it can provide. To start, hospice can be provided for a patient in the home or at a hospice facility. With either option, a close family member or friend is asked to be the patient’s primary caregiver. This designated person works with the patient’s hospice team to come up with a care plan that will help keep the patient comfortable and at ease.

The patient’s hospice team is a group of health care professionals, usually including doctors, nurses, counselors, social workers, home aides, and therapists. This group of specialists helps to ensure that the patient’s medical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs are being met, based on their care plan.

A care plan is developed based on the patient’s specific needs, and what will allow him or her to be most at ease. This combination of medical, emotional, physical, and spiritual care helps the patient and his or her family to stress less and enjoy each other more. Additionally, if the patient begins to recover during this time, he or she can be transferred out of hospice and back into regular treatment.

Can a Patient Receive 24-Hour Hospice Care?

With the primary caregiver and the hospice team, a patient can receive 24-hour care depending on his or her care plan. Perhaps the primary caregiver has the means to stay with the patient, or the hospice nurses work in shifts to provide continuous care.

Home aides are another option to ensure that the patient is monitored at all times. Not only do home aides help with activities of daily living, or ADLs, but they can offer respite to primary caregivers and take over for a set amount of time, or they can provide care 24/7. Additionally, hospice nurses are typically available by phone 24/7 and make regular visits to check on the patient.

Learn More About Hospice Care

If you’d like to learn more about hospice care, our team at WellSprings Home Care Services would love to help. Contact us at (610) 463-0880 to speak to a team member today.

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Can Hospice Care Be Provided at Home?

Posted on March 12, 2020 by Justin Currie

Choosing hospice care for your loved one might bring up a variety of emotions for you and your family. For many, hospice can signify the loss of a loved one, or like they’re giving up. However, when hospice care can be provided at home, we can look at it like getting our loved one’s back.

Hospice care at home

That’s because hospice care is about keeping a patient at ease — it’s the next step when treatment has stopped working, and provides a holistic care plan for those who are terminally ill. And best of all, it can be provided right in the comfort of the patient’s home.

What is Hospice Care?

As we mentioned above, hospice care is about keeping a patient comfortable who is terminally ill. It’s about managing symptoms without invasive treatments, and essentially is a way for patients to live their best quality of life. Additionally, hospice provides support and comfort for the patient’s family.

Hospice care utilizes a holistic philosophy of care: treating the mind, body, and spirit. This care is provided by a hospice team, which usually consists of:

• Your loved one’s primary care physician
• The hospice medical director
• The RN case manager
• A social worker
• A chaplain
• A bereavement counselor
• A home health aide
• A hospice volunteer

As you can see, there are support systems included that provide counseling for not just the patient, but the family members of the patient, as well.

Receiving Hospice Care at Home

Hospice care in the home is the best way for a patient to adjust to his or her circumstances and remain as comfortable as possible. While you may already know there are inpatient facilities that provide hospice care, they only become necessary if your loved one’s condition calls for them.

Receiving hospice care at home gives your loved one access to special services, some of which include:

• Emotional counseling. Your loved one can receive counseling for emotional peace of mind through hospice.
• Specialized therapy. Art therapy, music therapy, and other specific areas can provide extra support for a patient in hospice care.
• Home assistance. Hospice care also includes having help with activities of daily living, or ADLs. Having a home aide can help with personal hygiene, bathing, mobility assistance, or companionship.
• Pain and symptom supervision. As we mentioned, hospice care provides pain and symptom management, as opposed to invasive treatment.
• Dietary care. Your loved one’s condition may call for an adjustment in diet, which can be provided by hospice.

Learn More About Hospice Care at Home

While terminal illness or elderly age can cause so many changes for your loved one, receiving hospice care at home can make adjustments more subtle and comfortable.

If you’d like to learn more about hospice care at home, contact our team at WellSprings Home Care today! 610-463-0880

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Why Choose In-Home Hospice Care?

Posted on February 18, 2020 by Justin Currie

Why Choose In-Home Hospice Care?

While it may be tough to consider at first, the time may come when your elderly loved one needs hospice care. At first, this may seem like a last resort option; however, it’s important to understand that hospice care can be extremely beneficial to your loved one’s wellbeing — especially if he or she can remain at home.

in-home hospice care

The Distinction of Hospice Care

Hospice care is provided to patients who are terminally ill, when treatment has stopped working. The premise of hospice care is to give everyone the right to live out their days with dignity. Additionally, it’s important to know that if your loved one begins to recover, he or she has the option of leaving hospice and returning to their normal treatment plan.

Hospice programs are designed to allow your loved one to maintain a high quality of life while still receiving the proper care. Essentially, they are made comfortable and cared for without intending for a cure — this calls for a plan comprised of symptom control, emotional support, and spiritual care.

Many hospice programs are linked with hospitals, nursing homes, or home health agencies. Within a hospice program, your loved one will be cared for by a team of medical professionals who will devise a plan to ensure the patient is at ease and cared for. Additionally, the patient’s family is involved with decisions surrounding his or her care.

Hospice Care at Home

Since the foundation of hospice care involves keeping the patient as comfortable as possible, setting up hospice care in the home is one of the most ideal ways to keep your loved one at ease. Hospice programs provide a wide variety of services and medical equipment, including occupational and physical therapy, along with wheelchairs and/or walkers.

Hospice care at home can help the patient even more with symptom management, with not having to relocate or transport to a facility. Of course, the patient may be transported immediately to the hospital or a nursing home as needed, but can quickly return home after the proper care is received.

Choosing In-Home Hospice Care

While many think that waiting to choose hospice care as the next step in their loved one’s care, it’s better to begin a hospice program sooner than later. Medical professionals recommend beginning hospice when a patient has six months or less to live. And remember, if your loved one starts to see a turnaround in health, he or she can be moved back to their normal treatment plan.

If you would like to learn more about the benefits of choosing in-home hospice care, our team at WellSprings Home Care would love to help. Feel free to contact us at (610) 467-3880 to learn more about the next steps in providing the best care for your loved one.

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When is it Time to Consider Hospice Care?

Posted on January 27, 2020 by Justin Currie

Among many questions when caring for your elderly loved one, “When is it time to consider hospice care?” has probably crossed your mind. This can be a difficult time for you and your family, and it’s important to know the right information for you to make the decision that’s best for your loved one.

Hospice care

Many caregivers believe that patients or their families should consider hospice care as soon as possible. This is because hospice care, while looked at by many as just an end-of-life solution, is also a resource for holistic care. Let’s dive in a little further.

What is Hospice Care?

To start, hospice is an end-of-life type of care that allows patients who are terminally ill to receive holistic treatment that will enhance their quality of life. Hospice consists of care on a physical, emotional, and spiritual level, helping patients to manage their symptoms and find ease in the last few months of life.

Hospice care is managed by a team of medical professionals who devise a plan, along with the patient’s family, to ensure the patient is receiving the highest quality of care. Hospice can be at a special facility, or in the comfort of the patient’s own home.

Who is Eligible for Hospice Care?

Now, let’s look at the eligibility criteria for hospice care. While we’re focused on senior hospice care, a patient of any age who has a life expectancy of six months or less can receive this type of care. Additionally, patients must not be receiving other forms of healing treatment for their disease or condition.

However, hospice care still manages the patient’s symptoms and provides an enhanced quality of life. Additionally, if the patient should begin to improve, he or she can certainly be moved from hospice to receive the necessary curative treatment options.

When Should You Consider Hospice Care for Your Loved One?

Typically, it’s time to consider hospice care when a patient has 6 months or less to live. It is used when treatment can no longer stabilize or cure a disease, and allows the patient to experience quality of life during a seemingly difficult time.

Hospice care provides services such as occupational and physical therapy, along with medical equipment, such as wheelchairs or walkers. Dietary counseling may also be provided, as well as grief counseling for you and your family.

Because hospice can be set up in the home, it can be a much easier transition than you might think. And if there’s ever a time when your loved one is in need of short-term inpatient care, he is she can be transported to a hospice residential facility or a nursing home.

Learn More About Hospice Care

If you’d like to learn more information about hospice care, our team members at WellSprings Home Care would love to help. Whether you’re curious about when it’s time to consider hospice care, or would just like information on senior home care, we’ll be happy to answer any questions or concerns.

Contact us today at (610) 463-0880!

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WellSprings Home Care Ltd. Contact Details

  • Address: 379 W Uwchlan Ave. Suite 202, Downingtown, PA 19335
  • Phone Number: 610-463-0880 Email Address:
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