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50 Ways Home Care Can Support Family Caregivers

For so many family caregivers, the story is familiar. “I don’t know where to turn for help.” Or, “I’m exhausted. I don’t think I can do this on my own anymore.” Or, “There has to be a better way to care for my loved one.”

These are the words of an untold number of family caregivers who are struggling to provide care and support for loved ones, while at the same time maintaining some balance in their own lives. The good news is there is somewhere to turn for help. You don’t have to do it alone. There’s a way to ensure the independence and safety of your loved ones while still having time for a job, a home, the rest of your family – and yourself.

Home care is an answer many family caregivers are pleasantly surprised to discover. And when they find out the depth of the home care resource, they often say, “I didn’t know home care could do all of that!”

As we continue to observe National Family Caregivers Awareness Month, here are 50 surprising ways non-medical home care can be there for you and your loved ones.
 

  1. Accompaniment to doctor’s visits and other appointments
  2. Advice and support for family caregivers
  3. Assistance with air travel including airport check-in, ticketing, security/customs and luggage management
  4. Assistance with ground transportation for vacations and trips
  5. Bathing and personal hygiene assistance
  6. Care while family caregivers take a respite break
  7. Comfort and company during life transitions, such as after a move or loss of a loved one
  8. Company, conversation and companionship through regular visits and activities
  9. Continence and toileting care
  10. Dog walking
  11. Dressing assistance
  12. Eating and feeding assistance
  13. Engagement and cognition exercises for older adults with dementia
  14. Establishing and maintaining routines
  15. Game playing
  16. Gift wrapping
  17. Giving great hugs and support
  18. Grocery shopping
  19. Hair styling
  20. Home organization
  21. Laughing and smile making
  22. Letter writing and correspondence
  23. Light housekeeping and chores
  24. Listening to stories
  25. Local transportation to recreation, errands, social visits and more
  26. Meal preparation, including special diets
  27. Medication reminders
  28. Memory making
  29. Ongoing dementia care
  30. Oral hygiene assistance for mouths, gums and dentures
  31. Personal mobility and walking assistance
  32. Pet care assistance
  33. Physical activities for help staying active
  34. Picture taking
  35. Planning and facilitating activities, recreation and hobbies
  36. Post-meal clean-up
  37. Post-operative support and assistance
  38. Prescription pick up
  39. Providing support, relief and peace of mind
  40. Safety checks during inclement weather
  41. Meal sharing
  42. Reinforcing moms when settling in with a new baby
  43. Sharing jokes
  44. Stair climbing assistance
  45. Support during home maintenance visits
  46. Symptom checking, monitoring and reporting to prevent hospital readmissions
  47. Teaming up to help busy moms balance work, home and play
  48. Transferring and posture support
  49. Trash removal
  50. Washing, drying, folding and/or ironing laundry

How Has Home Care Been There for You?
In many ways, the support home care can provide is limited only by the imagination. If you’re a family caregiver, we’d love to hear about how home care has supported you in your caregiving journey. And how else it may be able to help family caregivers maintain balance in their lives. What were you surprised to learn home care could do? Share your stories and ideas in the comments!

Imagine How FirstLight Can Support You
Need support providing care for a loved one, but don’t know where to turn? FirstLight can help. Imagine all of the ways a little extra assistance could help your loved one – and simplify your caregiving journey. And then call FirstLight. Let’s talk about how we can help you. Find a location near you today.

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