Answer to in home care

I hope you don't mind me doing a blog post about your comment.

I think there are a very few important decisions to make before a person goes in for a hip replacement. I think the biggest thing to know is that most in home care aids are not medical. If you will need therapy to help you recover that is something that health care aids will not be allowed to do.
So, to recover at home, in addition to having some in home care help you will need therapy workers to come to you or you may go to them. However, I admit that I don't know what goes into a hip replacement and how mobile a person is afterwards.

If your leaning towards staying home to recover and the in home aids can meet your needs I would suggest checking out all the companies in your area. Some companies will send caregivers on a little drive to get to you. Plus, sometimes, caregivers may work outside of one office even though they don't live super close to it. All caregivers for my company has to take clients within 20 miles but anymore than that we can choose to take the hours.

My company will accept clients needing care for two hours but they don't go any less than that. If it's a long drive most caregivers are going to insist on longer shifts to make it worth the gas.

The reason why I mentioned that we can't clean for hours because literally there isn't that much work to always be done but in order to be there for when the clients do need us there for something we will have time that the caregiver doesn't have anything to do.

However, there is more light housekeeping that caregivers can do. If all the stuff like housework is done and if it's safe for us to leave the clients home alone. We can run errands like grocery shopping for you. If you have an appointment we can take you. If you have social plans we can take you. Well, my company insist on us having a car. I can't speak for all companies.

Caregivers can also watch tv with you. They can play a board game or cards with you. We can read the newspaper and talk about it. We can prepare meals or some other yummy treat to eat. Most caregivers can even see to the needs of your pets.

You mentioned the rate and I don't recall what it was but a big thing in what you expect from a caregiver coming from a caregiver is for you to understand that if they work for a agency they are probably getting less than half of that rate. I don't mean to say that they shouldn't do this or that cause they are going less than what your paying but don't go in with the attitude I am paying you X amount of dollars now scrub my floors I am getting my money's worth from you.

A quick story, I was working a few hours at this one elderly couples house and in between doing the housework the wife wanted to chit chat and companionship is part of my job and is what is expected from me from my company. The husband told me, I am not paying X amount of dollars for you to talk to my wife. He was treating me poorly because I think he was bitter about the cost.

Lastly, if you staying home with help is possible for you with in home aids then I would try to stay home. I would look into is there family that can take turns helping you. Or, any friends? Or do you belong to a church and can get a little help that way? I know some people hire private caregivers but that can be very risky. I have thought about going private but the risk is just too great for me.

I hope I was able to be some help to you and I wish you the best with your upcoming surgery and recovery.