Why private home care can improve mood and outlook in later years
If you have a family member who is getting on in years and requires additional support such as medical care which the family can longer supply, you may be investigating options such as private home care. This can be a great option to help your loved one retain a positive outlook and happy mood.
Pets
One of the aspects that worry many older people when they go into a nursing home is who is going to look after their pets. Particularly if they are single in later years, owning a pet has a range of mental health benefits including stress relief, reduced anxiety and companionship. Pet owners also often have better physical health with lower blood pressure and stress indicators only partially explained by regular exercise from walking your pet. Many of the benefits of pet ownership are not fully understood scientifically but can contribute to living a longer and happier life. Home health care allows people to continue to have support from their pets.
Neighbours
As people get older it can get harder to travel via pubic transport or driving to visit friends who live further afield. This means that many of the relationships that sustain them can come from the local neighbourhood, including neighbours and local shop owners that they interact with or walking to a local church service once a week. Moving away to a nursing home often involved severing these relationships, particularly if the other party is not confident driving or travelling. This can have a negative effect on mood. Using private home care allows these local routines to remain.
Familiar layout and furniture
Many of us know the feeling of being on holiday and missing our own bed. Physical items such as beds, couches, and chairs can provide physical and mental comfort to someone. The smaller size of a nursing home room often involves giving up many of the trinkets and items accumulated over a lifetime of experiences. Many nursing home residents can find this hard and don't enjoy not being able to look through photos, books or boxes of memories from their children and grandchildren. Private home care allows people to hold on to their precious items and keep their home in a familiar state.
Using private home care can be a great way to allow a loved one to stay at home and enjoy the many emotional benefits of maintaining some independence and staying in a familiar environment.