Why home care is so beneficial

There comes a time in many people's lives when they have to make a hard choice - do they admit an elderly relative to a specialist care home, where they can get the attention they need, or do they attempt to arrange care at home? It's a tricky one, but something you must consider before coming to a decision is the clear benefits of arranging for care to be given at home.

Firstly, many elderly people who require care will have experienced some memory loss - be it just as a result of old age, or something more serious, like dementia or Parkinson's disease. Either way, older people may find it very distressing waking up in a home that seems strange to them every day - simply because they have forgotten all about what their life is overnight. By keeping elderly people in their own homes, their memory could be improved; or at least the memory loss slightly reduced.

This is because they are surrounded by their own memories and belongings, which they will hopefully recognise more than a seemingly odd environment.

Secondly, they can feel more safe when remaining at home for care. This is not only because they are being cared for by people they trust, but also because any designated home carer are coming into their space - not the other way around - leaving them effectively in charge of the situation.

Care at home also means elderly people have access to all of their belongings, make them ultimately feel more comfortable on a day-to-day basis. They have all of their own clothes, photographs, mementos etc.

and with access to their own facilities - like a bathroom - embarrassing tasks like sponge baths or being helped to the toilet could well prove much easier.

It's worth considering all of this when weighing up your options. There are of course benefits to external care too, so it's just about making an informed decision.

katherine jenkins peyton manning broncos mexico city earthquake stand your ground law dancing with the stars season 14 bethenny frankel david garrard