If you’ve decided it’s time to transition from caring for a Veteran to using a trusted, in-home care agency to support their daily needs, don’t be intimidated—home care services for Veterans offer a valuable resource for you and your loved one. Learn more about how to navigate this transition seamlessly.
The Value of an In-Home Care Agency for Veterans
In-home care agency support for Veterans is a valuable resource for your loved one and you. Offering a support system in the comfort of their home not only provides Veterans with a companion who understands and takes care of their daily needs, but also gives you peace of mind and reassurance when you’re not there.
It’s easy to understand how valuable in-home caregiver services are for Veterans, but understanding in-home caregiver services can be confusing.
Explaining In-Home Personal Care Support
In-home personal care support, or Veterans Home Care services, allows women and men who’ve served our country to receive non-medical home care based on their activities of daily living (ADL).
Veteran home care support services provided by an in-home care agency typically include:
- Companionship
- Meal preparation/feeding
- Laundry
- Light housekeeping
- Grocery shopping/errands
- Transportation
- Medication reminders
- Bathing/hygiene/grooming
- Mobility assistance – including transferring assistance and fall prevention
- Toileting and incontinence care
In-home personal care agencies can provide you and your loved one with the perfect solution for your situation.
How To Transition from Family Care To In-Home Care Agency Support
If you’ve decided it’s time to transition away from family care to in-home care agency support for a Veteran, congratulations on making a tough decision.
Searching for a home care service provider that’s right for you and your family can seem intimidating—here are a few things to consider to make your transition smoother for you and your loved one.
Assess The Veteran’s Needs
The first important transition step is assessing your loved one’s health and lifestyle needs. Look for indicators that could mean they need additional support and care, like behavioral changes or changes in their living environment, hygiene, or grooming habits. Assessing a Veteran’s ADL allows you to create a personalized health care plan for them, considering factors like:
- How often the home caregiver needs to visit
- The type of care and support services you need
- How the in-home care agency can accommodate your preferences
- Potential obstacles that could make it difficult to receive proper care, like home environment red flags
Learning About In-Home Care Agency Agencies
In some cases, Veterans want more information about in-home care agencies. A few examples include:
- In-home care agency caregivers receive formal training
- Caregivers are bonded and insured
- Agencies specialized in working with Veterans
An important part of the process is finding a caregiver compatible with your loved one and available based on your schedule. The caregiver should also be compassionate, empathetic, responsive, and personable. Taking the time to find the right fit prevents potential obstacles in the long run.
Prepare for Important Family Discussions
Next, it’s time to prepare for an important meeting with your loved one and the people closest to them, like friends and family. It’s crucial to make the Veteran part of the process to ease the transition from someone they know taking care of them to counting on an in-home care agency. Make sure to ask them how they feel their life can improve.
A few ways to prepare for this important discussion include:
- Accentuate the positive: Don’t focus on the transition challenges around your loved one. Instead, accentuate the positive outcomes of transitioning to in-home care agency support.
- Frame the conversation: Many Veterans are fiercely independent and don’t like relying on others for help. During the transition discussion, frame the conversation in a way that conveys the help they’re getting as a luxury instead of a solution that will reduce their independence.
- Bring in support: You don’t have to discuss the transition all at once or by yourself. Instead, bring in support from your Veteran’s care network and break the conversation into small, digestible chunks. That way, you can tackle one obstacle or concern at a time.
By the end of the transition discussion, everyone should be on the same page regarding the Veteran’s care plan.
Getting the Right In-Home Care Agency
At AVCC, we help Veterans and their families get the right in-home care agency that meets their needs. We can connect you with a network of home care agencies that assist Veterans with their ADL. AVCC can also help you access the funds you need to pay for home care services, from Veteran’s pension benefits to VA Aid and Attendance requirements. Contact us today to learn more about our team of professionals that can help you make the transition from family caregiving to in-home care agency support.
