What Is Long-Term Care and How Do I Know If My Loved One in Greater Spartanburg, South Carolina Needs It?

Comfort Keepers Home Care is here to break down what long-term care is and how to decide if it's the right care option for your family in Spartanburg, Boiling Springs, or a nearby city in South Carolina

Long-term care is a type of care that encompasses a wide range of services to meet a person's health or personal care requirements over a long period. When people can no longer conduct daily activities on their own, these services help them live as freely and safely as possible. Most people choose to receive care at home to stay where they are most comfortable.

Personal care is the most frequent form of long-term care—assistance with daily tasks, often known as "activities of daily life." These activities include bathing, dressing, grooming, using the bathroom, eating, and moving around.

Who Needs Care for the Long-Term?

People often need this type of care when diagnosed with a chronic condition, disability, or severe health concerns. The need for professional care can be a sudden realization, or it can be gradual. More often than not, it's an incremental need as people age and conditions worsen over time. Many factors come into play to lead someone to need professional care indefinitely, but some of the most common include:

• Age - as you age, the more likely you will struggle with completing daily tasks and need additional assistance to maintain independence.
• Housing Status - if a senior lives alone, it can be difficult for family members to stop by and help with daily needs.
• Health Conditions - having chronic health conditions, illnesses, or disabilities make it very difficult for seniors and their family members to maintain their independence.
• Lifestyle - poor diet and lack of physical activity can increase the likelihood of needing professional care.
• Gender - women tend to live longer than men making them more likely to need skilled care.

What to Expect

This type of care is typically non-medical and deals with household tasks and personal needs. A caregiver will come into their senior client's home and provide a wide array of services like personal care, light housekeeping, companionship, transportation, and more. These services aim to increase a senior's quality of life and keep them as comfortable as possible. Services are typically provided by family members, paid caregivers, or sometimes even community long-term care programs like adult daycare centers. 

Benefits of Long-Term Care

There are many benefits to opting to give your loved one additional help around their home. Often when receiving extra care, seniors feel more independent and confident in their homes. They usually are less worried about moving into a nursing home or assisted living facility, and families have more peace of mind that their loved one is safe and healthy. 

Learn More Today

Contact our team at Comfort Keepers today to learn more about long-term care and how it can help your aging loved one. Our care team is here to help you determine the best course of action for your loved one's needs, lifestyle, and personality - even if that means not going with our agency. To contact our office, you can click one of the buttons below. We can answer any of your questions and, if you would like, schedule a free, no-obligation consultation at your earliest convenience.