As your parents age, their health may decline.

This may raise questions about what kind of care your parents need. Depending on whether their illnesses or declined independence necessitates constant medical attention or just a home caregiver, your parents may need to consider some sort of assisted living arrangement.

How do you know if you or your loved ones need a nurse or a caregiver?

A caregiver is there to provide assistance in daily activities, assistance with home care management and can help to cook for their patients. Their job is to assist and care for the people they care for. A Home Caregiver can be a certified aid or a family member who shoulders the responsibility of providing care and assistance to aging loved ones.

A nurse has the medical qualifications to provide more technical services. Their job is not to provide care in daily activities but to provide medical services that may need to be facilitated on a daily basis. These individuals are typically licensed medical professionals who are paid.

If you or your elderly parents are in need of intensive medical care, such as constant blood tests or in need of catheter changes, then you may want to consider hiring a nurse. Consider hiring a caregiver if you or your loved one needs help to perform daily tasks or are a fall risk.

What is important is to know and understand exactly what your aging parents need. Ultimately what needs to be considered is the amount of assistance that your parents need. While private care has the potential to be very expensive, the consequences of not getting adequate care can be steep. Especially for seniors who are at high risk of falling or seniors who are in constant need of supervision, hiring a caregiver is probably the right choice for you.

Once you become aware that additional assistance at home is necessary, hiring a caregiver or a nurse can help prevent other health issues from progressing. With the help of a caregiver or nurse, chronic illnesses like high blood pressure, chronic heart problems, and diabetes can be avoided by making healthy life choices.

Not only do home caregivers and nurses provide the proper services to seniors who need extra assistance or medical attention, but having a caregiver or nurse can also provide peace of mind for family members responsible for caring for aging loved ones.

Depending on the needs of your individual senior, a nurse or a caregiver may be the key to a longer and healthier future. Above all, if your loved one is experiencing a rapid decline in health, additional assistance will be the best way to make your loved one the most comfortable.

Understanding your aging parent’s needs is important to provide them with the best possible home care services. The future of your parent’s health depends on the steps taken today.