VERA Home Care

How Did Covid-19 Demonstrate The Importance Of Home Care Services In The Future?

Home care services focus on assisting seniors so they can keep living in their homes. Many clients hire these services for themselves, on behalf of a loved one recently discharged from the hospital, or because they have risks like limited mobility but don’t want to move into an assisted living home. Most home care services are nonmedical, and as such, there is an underappreciation for them within the healthcare industry.

The last year has sparked a change, both in potential clients and medical experts. COVID-19 has demonstrated the importance of home care services for keeping seniors safe, healthy, and happy. 

COVID-19 Showed That Ageing At Home Can Be Safer Than The Alternatives

COVID-19 exposed weaknesses in many assisted living communities. It was unfortunate to watch the pandemic affect those living in nursing homes as the virus entered and spread quickly in facilities across Canada. While these communities provide many services and bring many benefits, they have also shown that they are not always effective at preventing infections.

On top of the exposure to rapidly-spreading illnesses, there’s the fear that assisted living facilities can’t meet a senior’s nonmedical needs. Many living communities faced staffing shortages during the pandemic and a lack of necessary personal protective equipment. Now, family members are likely to think twice before sending a senior loved one to a nursing home or assisted living facility.

The Pandemic Demonstrated The Convenience Of Home Care Services

COVID-19 restricted the movement of many seniors, and when they were able to leave their homes, they had to be more cautious than the rest of the population. It’s led to more reliance on home care as a pillar of our healthcare system, and many seniors found the support they needed by turning to home care workers.

In many circumstances, home care can be the only care option for those who can’t access healthcare facilities due to mobility issues, distance, a lack of transportation, and other factors outside of their control. When people couldn’t leave their homes safely – whether due to lockdowns or other circumstances – home care workers were ready to help. It’s why we can expect home care services to get the credit they deserve in the future!

The Importance Of Home Care Will Get Its Due In The Coming Years

As we mentioned, home care is an often overlooked and underappreciated part of the broader healthcare industry. Not all medical necessities are so obvious, however, and the pandemic has shown how home care providers can be crucial for the physical, mental, and social wellness of seniors. The domestic environment is a complex environment for the care of vulnerable people – not all people who age at home have every advantage!

Home care is finally getting high-profile recognition from medical journals such as The Lancet. For example, the pandemic broadened many social distances already faced by seniors, which brought many detrimental effects to people’s health and wellness. COVID-19 demonstrated for more people across the healthcare industry that home care is a necessary service for mental wellness and overall health outcomes.

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