Common Misconceptions About Home Care

 

There will come a time in life when you may be considering home care for yourself or your loved ones. If you’re new to care and have never worked with a care agency before then there is no denying that it can feel like daunting and confusing territory. 

 

You will get lots of mixed messages both online, and from people you know, about home care and this is incredibly unhelpful when you’re trying to decide on the next best steps for yourself or your family member/friend. To help anyone currently looking into care, Companions of London have cleared up a few of the most offputting and common misconceptions about home care. 

 

“Private care at home is only for the wealthy”

 

Many families often immediately disregard home care as an option because they assume it is too expensive but, nowadays, private home care is actually typically less expensive than residential care facilities. 

 

Of course, as with any profession, the cost of home care will depend on the area you live in, your care needs and the provider that you choose. As the majority of elderly people only require a few hours of care per day or per week, choosing home care means that you will only be paying for the amount of care you need rather than 24/7 care that may not be required. 

 

“All care services are the same”

 

This couldn’t be further from the truth. A good care provider will understand that home care isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ profession. This type of care is incredibly personal and is always dictated by the person receiving the care, you can decide how much help you need and how frequently you require this help. 

 

There are also lots of different types of care, a few examples being: domiciliary care for people who require additional support with day-to-day life, respite care that provides short-term relief for primary caregivers and palliative care which is there to support for people who are in the last months or years of their life. All of these care services will be different and offer various services so, you can decide which of them are most suited to you or your loved one’s needs. 

 

“Care staff are untrained and unskilled”

 

Again, this simply isn’t the case in this day and age. While carers aren’t always accredited like doctors and nurses, there is no denying that caring is still a very highly skilled profession which can be physically and emotionally challenging. 

 

When choosing a reputable care agency you can trust that their team will have undergone extensive training in order to provide the care they do. The majority of these agencies or companies will also require their staff to have specific qualifications in order to specialise in the care that they do so, you can trust their carers. 

 

“The carer will take over”

 

This is a worry for lots of families and it is important that anyone considering home care understands that when you choose a trustworthy care agency this won’t happen. Care plans are always completed with the individual receiving the care and, family and friends can be involved whenever they are needed or wanted.

 

You will always have a choice and control over your care and the flexibility of home care means that if adjustments are required then they will be made. The job of a carer is to encourage independence and help where help is needed, they aren’t there to take over.

 

How Companions of London can help

 

All in all, the majority of negatives you hear about home care simply aren’t true. Care at home is an increasingly popular alternative to moving into a care home but it is still poorly understood by many. Separating the myths from the truth will help you to see the real benefits of this type of care and then, in turn, choose the best next steps for yourself or your loved ones.

 

If you’re searching for a company that can provide you with a range of reliable care services then visit the Companions of London website. We provide everything from private respite care to dementia care at home so, whatever your needs may be, we can assist you. We can assure you that Companions of London is run by a passionate team of experienced care professionals. Our whole team is fully trained and completely trustworthy. To find out more about the type of care that we can provide, please don’t hesitate to get in touch today.