The future of aging is about more grace, more opportunities, and greater happiness. In Los Altos, this future is possible now when we apply the best care and resources to support our aging loved ones. In the Bay Area, we are lucky to have innovative opportunities extend to our seniors who can use creative solutions to the new challenges they face with age. There are tech advances and tools designed for seniors to live more comfortably and actively. There are progressive services for older adults’ mental health and elder abuse prevention. And there is compassionate, convenient senior home care in Los Altos that not only supports older adults in all the areas where they need assistance at home, but also empowers them to be as independent as possible as they age in place.
What Can You Expect from Local In-Home Care Assistance?
The beauty of Los Altos’s senior home care services, especially those offered by Institute on Aging, is that they can adapt to suit each family’s and each individual’s needs. Whereas one person may simply need help with meal prep and cooking or financial management support, another person may need round-the-clock assistance and companionship. A care manager can assess an individual’s living situation, daily routines, and overall needs and design an individualized care plan with just the right services and resources.
You might be surprised at the diversity of support available through in-home care for older adults. Institute on Aging has developed the following programs and services that are available for older adults in Los Altos and around the San Francisco Bay Area:
- Personal care. For seniors, even a little bit of in-home assistance with everyday activities can go a long way toward supporting their regular lifestyle. Receiving help with personal care not only helps older adults stay healthy, it also means they have more energy left to enjoy the brightest parts of their days.
- Companionship. Of course, a very important part of health and happiness throughout our lives is companionship. Kind and reliable home care assistants can become an integral part of the home and family, especially as they develop a friendship with your aging loved one and discover favorite activities over which they can bond.
- Live-in and 24-hour assistance. Some aging individuals will need more intensive or constant care, and an in-home care assistant is the perfect solution. By working closely with your aging loved one, they will be able to respond expertly, compassionately, and quickly round the clock.
- Integrated health care. Many older adults have complex health needs that require multiple physicians and specialists. To keep things manageable, it helps immensely to have many of these doctors and resources in one place. That is the revolutionary model of the PACE PACE Center (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) at IOA. Participants can visit the center or receive in-home benefits that include medical and specialty care, social services, prescription services, nutritional services, as well as other therapies and individualized care.
- Behavioral services. A wide range of mental health services are available for seniors and these opportunities can significantly improve quality of life. For many, it is possible to receive behavioral care and services in the home, removing some of the practical and emotional barriers to getting help.
- Dementia and Alzheimer’s care. Aging adults with Alzheimer’s or dementia may need special attention and unique kinds of care to meet their needs. Professional in-home caregivers are both knowledgeable and gentle, so your loved one will feel safe and supported by a familiar companion. They may also benefit from specific behavioral health care, such as reminiscence therapy to improve their mood as they reconnect with past memories that are still familiar.
- Care for adults living with disabilities. Individualized care plans will include consideration for any disabilities your aging loved one experiences, from mobility challenges to sensory limitations.
- Home safety evaluations. For a senior’s overall safety and optimal independence, staff can help by conducting a home safety evaluation to look for any hazards and recommend home updates that can enhance your loved one’s quality of life.
- Light housekeeping. A home care assistant can assist with basic housekeeping needs and help maintain an orderly home environment for your loved one aging in place.
- Meal planning and prep. As basic as it may be, help with meals can make an enormous difference for busy families and aging adults who struggle to manage these tasks on their own. A professional caregiver can provide assistance in the kitchen with an eye on your loved one’s best health and nutritional needs.
- Transportation. It’s also possible for seniors to receive transportation services through their home care program. This can include assistance and companionship while your loved one runs errands and attends appointments and other activities.
Reliable home care assistance comes from a staff of visiting home health aides, nurses, nutritionists, physical and occupational therapists, and other clinical practitioners. While it may be an unfamiliar transition to start, in no time your aging loved one will experience the support of compassionate assistants and begin to feel healthier and more secure living and aging at home.
How Can Home Care Enhance the Lives of Older Adults in Los Altos?
As we age, it can be challenging to accept and embrace the lifestyle changes, role reversals, and loss of independence that so often emerge in our later years. But we can creatively support seniors in ways that optimize their independence while giving them meaningful support. This is one of the primary goals of a home care assistant: to enable and empower an aging adult to live with agency and dignity, even if they require constant care.
When your loved one connects with the help they need, you can also spend less time caretaking and more time making the most of your time together, whether it’s getting some exercise with a walk a Los Altos park or visiting the Los Altos Senior Center for music classes, book groups, and special community events. With basic needs taken care of, we can turn our attention to helping aging adults renew and embrace their purpose during this special phase of life.
To find out more about the details and costs of Los Altos senior home care, give us a call today at 415-750-4111. At Institute on Aging, we are working to further evolve programs and services for seniors to bring them the best opportunities to live the way they choose.
