Your elderly loved one might need in-home care and assistance to carry out their regular activities. Having in-home assistance allows you to take small breaks in between tasks and look after your elderly loved one while carrying out personal activities. However, hiring an in-home caregiver can be expensive. But don’t worry! These eight tips will help you choose cheaper alternatives that are far better than the expensive ones and significantly lower your senior care cost. Now let’s take a look at these tips:
1. Hire an affordable caregiver privately instead of an agency
The hiring process of private home assistance is comparatively cheaper than hiring via an agency. The cost difference is mostly around 20%-30% which makes private assistance an affordable home healthcare alternative. However, this is not effective for all cases, especially if it’s an agency. The agency will be responsible for background checks, training, insurance, etc. They will also provide a backup if the home care worker is absent. However, in the case of a private home assistant, you will be responsible for everything.
2. Use of advanced technology
Due to work commitments, taking care of the elderly 24/7 can be challenging. However, with some advanced gadgets, you can easily balance both responsibilities. S You can use a monitoring or medical checkup systems that will update you about the elder’s health from time to time. These systems will also help adults to take their medicines on time. The elders can video chat with you through which you can keep a check on them. Also, for shopping, they can choose online methods instead of traditional shopping alternatives. Therefore, technological advancement may prove to be beneficial for adult home care services.
3. Tax credits and deductions
For caregiving expenses, you can get tax credits and deductions. This works especially if the elder is dependent. A reputable advisor can help you with the process. There is also various software available that can help you study these credits and deductions thoroughly. Many non-profit organisations and states also provide benefits for disability support.
4. Opt for renovating the home in a cost-friendly manner
You should make your home a safe and comfortable place for the elderly with renovation. This will make their day-to-day activities simpler and help you to maintain their peace of mind. For this, you can install a hand railing, and use bright lights so that the adults can see clearly through the dark rooms. You can place the pieces of furniture in such a way that it doesn’t come in between the walking path. Many non-profit organisations and different states also provide the elderly with financial help for home modifications. This will help the elders stay safely and comfortably.
5. Use respite care
Many state and non-profit organisations provide respite care programs free of cost or on a lower-cost basis. Therefore, you must check if the senior citizen qualifies for any of these programs. You should also do thorough research about these programs which will help you know the programs and services in a better way.
6. Check the meal alternatives
It can be challenging for seniors to shop and make their meals. Here, the cost and labour factors both are involved. Therefore, to deal with the problem effectively, you need to research the meal services in your area. Several meal service providers provide healthy meals along with easy delivery options. If you opt for a meal service, you don’t have to pay for an extra cook to prepare meals.
7. Manage the heating and cooling costs
Hot summer and chilly winter days can be unbearable sometimes. Such changing weather conditions often encourage us to use a heater or air conditioner, which later contributes to increased utility bills. To reduce this cost, you can opt for public energy assistance programs which assist you with utility payments. Many state weatherisation assistance programs will provide home modifications to reduce energy usage considerably. In this way, you will save both energy and money.
8. Enrol in an adult day program
Adult day programs allow senior citizens to enjoy various activities and improve their social interaction. Health care and meals might also be provided in such programs. The to-and-from services are also provided through these programs. All these benefits of an adult day program will help you take care of your elderly loved one.
The above-mentioned points will help you get the best help for older adults. The most important thing to consider when choosing an alternative is your elderly loved one’s comfort. Therefore, knowing their comfort will help you make wiser decisions.
