What to Expect From 24-Hour Home Care

You’re exhausted and can’t keep doing all that you’re currently responsible for. Your dad lives with you, but he has dementia and isn’t sleeping more than two or three hours each night. If you don’t get up when he’s awake, he tries to take off outside, which sets off door alarms and wakes everyone in the house.

In addition to your dad’s care needs, you work from home and need enough time to complete your daily tasks. It’s getting harder keeping up with your job, his care needs, and the exhaustion you’re experiencing.

When your dad’s needs reach a point that you cannot possibly cover every hour of the day and night, it’s time to talk about 24-hour home care. What is this service and how does it work?

What Caregivers Can Do

Caregivers providing 24-hour home care cover the same services as any home care aide provides. They can cook meals for your dad, get him a drink, or make him a snack. His caregiver can make the bed, change the sheets each week, and swap his used towels for clean ones.

Your dad likes to go for walks with your dog, but he isn’t good at finding his way back home. You’re not sure you can keep relying on your dog to lead him back home. A caregiver can join him on walks and make sure he comes home safely.

After gathering all of the dirty laundry, the caregivers can run a wash load, move it to the dryer, and put dry clothing, sheets, and towels where they go. They can vacuum or sweep the floors, dust furniture, take out the trash and recycling, wash dishes or load the dishwasher, and water your dad’s plants.

If he has an appointment, his caregiver can drive him. If he needs to make an appointment, his caregiver is there to help him or do it for him. He’ll have a caregiver to shop with, run errands with, and carry in his purchases. Your dad’s caregivers can help him shower and dress, assist with oral care, and trim his nails as needed.

How 24-Hour Home Care Works

That’s what caregivers can do, but there is often confusion on how it works. A caregiver doesn’t move into the home and require a bedroom of his or her own. Caregivers work in shifts to cover your dad’s care needs at all hours of the day and night.

How many caregivers come during the day varies from one caregiver to the next. Scheduling may be in 6, 8, or 12-hour shifts. Your dad may have four caregivers throughout the day, each one arriving after the current caregiver has worked for six hours. You might have three caregivers working for eight hours before the next caregiver arrives. Sometimes, you’ll have two caregivers working 12-hour shifts.

As one caregiver’s shift ends, the next is at your home, informed of what your dad needs and has already received for care, and gets ready to tackle the to-do list for that shift. Your dad isn’t alone and lonely. He’s not awake and on his own while a caregiver sleeps.

Don’t burn out trying to meet all of your dad’s care needs. Whether you want a temporary break for a few weeks, or you need full-time help as your dad’s health worsens, 24-hour home care is the perfect answer.

Griswold Home Care for Northern Virginia West is a Trusted Home Care Agency serving Woodbridge, Manassas, Montclair, Dumfries, Centreville, Bristow, Fairfax Station, Clifton, Gainesville, Lorton, and the surrounding areas.