What Is the Best Home Health Care Agency in Charlottesville, VA?
We Written by:
Jeffrey Grossman
Published:
December 13th, 2021
If you’re searching for “the best caregiver agency near me in Charlottesville, VA” you’ll have to choose between many different companies.But when it comes to finding someone to care for mom and dad, you don’t want to settle for “good.” Instead, you’ll want to ensure that your elderly parents are receiving the best senior care Charlottesville, VA has to offer.
Wading through the top caregiver agencies to find the one that’s right for your parents may take some time, but you’ll be glad you did. So, how do you know which one truly offers the best home care in Charlottesville?
In this article, we’re providing you with expert insight into the home care industry. We’ll walk you through how to find the best quality home care agency for your loved one. Keep reading to learn more about in-home care and Alzheimer’s care in Charlottesville, VA.
When to Start Looking for “The Best Caregiver Agency Near Me”
Before we get into what to look for in the best caregiver agency for your loved one, it’s important to know when your parents might need in-home care.With in-home care, an agency sends a trained caregiver to your parents’ home to assist them with their daily life tasks. Instead of being on their own, mom and dad have someone caring for them and providing a helping hand.Here are three reasons you should consider home care in Charlottesville for mom and dad.
In-home elder care solutions in Charlottesville, VA.
1. Your Parents Need Help with Daily Tasks
As we age, our health and mobility can gradually decline. This decline in health and mobility can make small, everyday tasks more challenging.You may need to spend some time around your parents to assess their needs, but questions to keep in mind regarding mom and dad are:
Do your parents have difficulty moving around the house and tending to chores?
Have your parents mentioned a fear of driving or a sense of anxiety being behind the wheel?
Can mom and dad still dress, bathe, groom, and cook for themselves?
These are just a few signs to look for, but there may be others that you recognize.Ultimately, you’re looking for signals that your parents could use help with daily tasks
2. Your Parents Have Dementia
Dementia is a progressive memory loss disease that affects nearly 6.2 million Americans aged 65 and older—it’s common for adult children to have a parent with dementia.In its early stage, dementia symptoms are mild and the individual with dementia is still fairly independent. However, as the disease progresses, symptoms get worse and can start to affect functions like walking and swallowing.In addition, people with dementia are prone to:
Wandering and getting lost
Sundowning (sudden mood and behavior changes in the evening hours)
Sleeplessness at night
All of these complications can make it difficult for a family member to provide care to their loved one. Getting mom or dad Alzehimer’s care in Charlottesville can be a great way to relieve your burden of care and ensure that your parents receive expert, hands-on assistance as they live with dementia.
3. You Can’t Take Care of Your Parents Yourself
Lastly, you may not have the ability, time, or experience to take care of your parents as they age. Or, perhaps you live too far from your loved ones to provide them with hands-on care yourself.You could move your parents into a nursing home or let them come live with you. However, elderly adults often prefer to age in the comfort of their own homes, especially if they already have medical providers and close friends nearby.For adult children who can’t care for their aging parents but who have parents who want to stay where they are, looking into the top caregiver agencies near your parents is a good alternative.With an in-home caregiver from one of the best home care agencies, you can rest assured that your parents will receive the care they need.Now that you know when in-home care is necessary, let’s look at how to choose “the best caregiver agency near me.”
How to Choose Between the Best Home Care Agencies in Charlottesville, VA
When it comes to in-home care in Charlottesville, you’ll probably have a few options to choose from. But not all agencies are the same and there are certain characteristics that you’ll want to look for when choosing.To help you in your search, here are three marks of good senior care options in Charlottesville, VA.
1. Whole-person Care Plans
First, the best quality home care agencies offer whole-person care to their clients.Your loved one has more than just physical needs. Yes, they may need help with daily life tasks like cleaning or meal prep. However, your loved one also has social and emotional needs. Whole-person care integrates Care Management with caregiving. Before providing mom and dad with caregivers, Care Managers will run an assessment that takes into consideration your parents’ physical, emotional, mental, and social needs.After the assessment, these Care Managers will create a personalized care plan for your parents that seeks to meet all their needs. They’ll also constantly monitor your loved ones and adjust the care plan as their needs change.The best home care agencies have care managers that create a whole-person care plan that’s specifically tailored to each client.
2. Highly Trained Caregivers
The second characteristic of top caregiver agencies is their caregiver training programs.Since caregivers will be the ones entering your loved one’s home and assisting them, you want these caregivers to have proper training.So, what does good caregiver training look like?Commonwise Home Care in Charlottesville, VA has its own in-house training program called Caregiver University. Every Commonwise caregiver must complete this online and in-person program.Caregiver University equips Commonwise caregivers with all the knowledge and skills needed to provide quality care to elderly adults. They also receive ongoing training and support to ensure that your loved one is always receiving exceptional assistance.A home care agency that invests heavily in its caregivers is an agency that’s committed to outstanding in-home care.
3. Flexible Care Options
Your parents’ needs can change over time, so you want to find an agency that offers a wide range of options and services that can be adjusted.In the early stages of in-home care, your parents may simply need companionship services, like:
Medication reminders
Help with meal prep
Assistance with housework
Transportation to/from appointments
But as your parents age, they may need personal care or specialized services including:
Assistance with transfers and ambulation
Help with bathing, toileting, dressing, and grooming
Dementia and memory care
Exercise and range of motion support
In addition, the amount of time they need a caregiver may increase as they age. Whether your loved one needs care a few hours a day each week or care 24-hours a day, a home care agency should be able to meet their needs.
Get Expert In-home Care from One of the Top Caregiver Agencies in Charlottesville
As an adult child with aging parents, it can be tough to know when parents might need in-home care and what the best home care agencies look like.Three signs that it might be time to start looking for senior care in Charlottesville, VA include:
Your parents needing help with daily tasks
Your parents showing signs of dementia
You being unable to care for your parents yourself
Once you’re certain that your parents could benefit from in-home care, it’s time to start looking for the “best caregiver agency near me.” When choosing between the top caregiver agencies in Charlottesville, you’ll want to look for these three characteristics:
Whole-person care plans
Highly trained caregivers
Flexible care options
If your elderly parents are residents in the Charlottesville area and you’re wondering, “What is the best home health care agency?” the answer is Commonwise Home Care. At Commonwise Home Care in Charlottesville, VA, we strive to provide the highest quality elder care to aging seniors. Our Care Managers carefully craft customized care plans for each client based on their needs. Then, our trained Caregivers enter the home and put the plan into action. And as your loved one’s needs change, so do the levels of care that their caregivers provide. Contact us today to learn more about our comprehensive in-home care services and how they can improve your loved one’s quality of life.
In-home elder care solutions in Charlottesville, VA.