Staying at home for seniors is an important issue. More and more, it is an approach that is being promoted because of the many benefits of maintaining a person in their home environment. In this article, we discuss the subject and the support that social workers can provide to the individual, as well as to their family and caregivers, if applicable.
Benefits and Challenges of Staying at Home for Seniors
Seniors often face a loss of autonomy, which can be caused by injury, illness or simply by normal aging. In this sense, it is natural to question the ability of these people to meet their basic needs by themselves, but especially to remain in their living environment safely.
It is therefore important to examine the advantages and challenges of home care…
The advantages of staying at home:
- The elderly person can keep their bearings and maintain their lifestyle;
- It is generally more beneficial to psychological health;
- Home care is generally less expensive than residential care for the elderly.
Challenges of staying at home:
- There are costs associated with home support services;
- It may be necessary to rearrange the senior’s home;
- There are inherent risks of falls and accidents in the home to consider;
- The burden on family caregivers may be greater.
Consider the person’s wishes
Because of the possibility of maintaining their living environment and habits, the vast majority of seniors wish to remain in their homes as long as possible. It is important, before taking any steps, to discuss this with the person concerned in order to make decisions that are favourable to their physical and psychological health.
What support does the social worker provide?
When a senior chooses to stay at home with his or her loved ones, it is important to know that it may be appropriate to call on the services of a social worker. This professional can intervene in a variety of situations that may present a psychosocial challenge. Of course, loss of autonomy and the challenges it presents are among them.
In such a situation, the intervention is divided into several steps:
- Needs assessment: it is first necessary to determine what specific challenges are posed by home care in relation to the person’s condition. Does the person need medical or nursing care? Is a home support worker required? Will adaptations to the home be necessary to allow the person to meet basic needs while being safe? It is important to have a clear picture of the conditions that must be met for this to be possible.
- An intervention plan: Once the person’s needs are clearly defined, the social worker determines the ways in which they will be met. This may include support resources, financial aids, etc.
- Making the necessary applications: The social worker’s assessment may allow him or her to certify the client’s needs. This may be necessary when applying for resources and aids. With their expertise, the professional can assist in completing applications and paperwork.
- Caregiver support: People who act as caregivers are also considered in the intervention. As we saw in this other article on our blog, personalized support can be provided to help them maintain their well-being and avoid burnout.
Online social work with Clinique GO™
Our team of social workers offers online social work consultation services. Virtual consultation lends itself well to the majority of social work consultation needs. In addition, it eliminates the need to travel and provides a very quick way to obtain services.
To request our virtual consultation services, please fill out the form available on our website.
Approuvé par Francis Desjardins
