Did you know that 9 out of 10 seniors prefer staying in their own homes rather than assisted living facilities? Despite this, it is estimated that more than 818,800 Americans are currently living in assisted living facilities.
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The main reason behind this is that seniors often require constant and personalized care. However, finding an appropriate caregiver can be challenging, especially for those with increasing psychological and physical needs. While family and friends often adopt the role of being a caregiver, their own hectic and demanding schedules can make it difficult to provide around-the-clock care for those who need it.
In such circumstances, hiring live-in companions is a great option for seniors who wish to age in place in the comfort of their own homes but are unable to do so completely independently.
Live-in companions work and live in the senior’s home and care for their physical and emotional needs. They can help seniors cope with isolation and carry out their daily tasks.
In this article, we will discuss everything about live-in companions for seniors, their benefits, and how to hire a live-in companion.
What Is a Live-In Companion?
A live-in companion, also known as a home companion, is a caregiver who lives and works in their client’s home to provide various services tailored to their needs.
It is a common setup for seniors or individuals with chronic medical conditions, like dementia or specific disabilities, that require regular attention and assistance.
A live-in companion can provide a diverse range of services, including assisting in home chores and tasks, providing a means of transportation, providing simple medical care procedures, and providing company and performing fun activities with their clients.
In-home care can be provided on a 24/7 basis, overnight, or for specific hours, depending on the client’s needs.
When To Consider Live-In Companions
Live-in companions should be considered for individuals or older adults who prefer staying at home but don’t have loved ones nearby who have the time or ability to provide the physical and emotional support necessary on a regular basis.
Other reasons to hire a live-in companion may include:
- Intense feelings of loneliness and isolation, which can have potential clinical impact
- Chronic disorders that require continuous physical and medical assistance, like Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, cognitive dysfunction, kidney disease, type 1 or type 2 diabetes, arthritis, eyesight or hearing problems, heart disease, cancer, or other debilitating conditions
- Difficulty using the bathroom or carrying out personal tasks
- Frequent falls or injuries, such as those with osteoporosis, sarcopenia, and other frailty-related issues
Top 5 Benefits of Live-In Companions for Seniors
Live-in companions may be expensive, but hiring them can give you and your loved ones peace of mind and comes with various benefits, including:
Companionship
Seniors often suffer from loneliness and isolation, as their loved ones may not always be available to spend time with them.
Live-in companions provide help with physical and medical tasks, but are also great for socializing, engaging with their clients, and performing fun activities to keep them occupied. This helps reduce isolation and loneliness and provides companionship to seniors.
Peace of Mind
Live-in companions are not only beneficial for seniors but can also provide peace of mind to their loved ones, who often feel more relaxed knowing that someone is available at all times to provide help.
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Assistance With Daily Activities
As age progresses, it’s normal to need assistance with day-to-day activities.
One major purpose of live-in companions is to support seniors in performing daily activities, like walking, bathing, dressing, cleaning, and cooking.
Transportation Assistance
A live-in companion can also help seniors with transportation. For example, they can assist seniors in visiting a relative or friend, going to an appointment with a doctor, or going shopping.
Independent Living
Another significant benefit of live-in companions for seniors is that it allows them to live a normal life relatively independently in the comfort of their own homes without putting pressure on family or friends to care for them.
It can be difficult for seniors to change and adjust to a new environment, especially in group homes or senior living centers. A live-in companion gives seniors the ability to remain in their familiar home environment.
How To Hire Live-In Companions
You should consider certain factors before hiring a live-in companion.
First and foremost, it is crucial to identify and list all your needs and determine your budget. Make a detailed list and include all of the tasks and activities you need help with.
For example, do you need housekeeping, companionship, assistance with daily activities, transportation, medical care, or all of them? Based on your needs, different types of in-home companions should be considered. For example, those with significant medical needs will need to consider nurses or other medical practitioners to ensure that they are well cared for. However, those without significant medical conditions, but require a bit of assistance for physical tasks like cooking, could suffice with a general caretaker. Those seeking help with transportation, housekeeping, or simple companionship may not even need a full-time live-in companion, but rather visits at regular schedules instead.
Next, it is important to decide whether you will hire a live-in companion through an agency or look for an independent caregiver. Hiring a caregiver through an agency is the right option if you want someone to take care of all the hiring, scheduling, and management tasks. In addition, reputable agencies with a long-standing history of positive reviews can be a much safer option. However, this can be costly, and sometimes independent caregivers are a more feasible financial option, and also gives the senior and their family more direct control and contact. Independent contractors must be carefully vetted to ensure safety and that the caregiver has all the qualifications required.
Lastly, you should create a complete care plan and contract with the live-in companion, evaluate their performance, and make adjustments as needed.
About the Author
Reviewed by Dr. Ryo Sanabria
Dr. Ryo Sanabria, PhD, was born and raised in New York. They received a B.A. and M.A. in biotechnology from CUNY Hunter College, and an M.A., M.Phil., and PhD in Nutrition and Metabolic Sciences from Columbia University. Dr. Sanabria is a professor who currently teaches at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. Their areas of expertise include gerontology, cell biology, molecular biology, genetics, and nutrition. They are the recipient of many awards and grants and have authored numerous research papers. The most rewarding part of their work is training and mentoring new scientists. Dr. Sanabria is an avid fitness enthusiast, and in their free time, they enjoy marathon running and weight-lifting. Dr. Sanabria's pronouns are they/them/their.
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