Providing our sick and elderly loved ones with round the clock care is the best health care we can give.

Whenever we think about the term caregiving, we often think about people providing health services in hospitals and hospice care centers. These are professionals taking turns or shifts, making rounds, and administering various services to patients. However, some patients need full-time care or round the clock services. Usually, family caregivers provide this type of care at home. The book One Caregiver’s Journey which talks about being a 24/7 caregiver by Gaccetta is one example of a family caregiver. Author Eleanor Gaccetta details how for 9 and a half years, she served as a full-time caregiver to her mom, who suffered a back injury at age 93. Today, we will try to take a look at the benefits of 24/7 care for sick and elderly patients.

Before we go the benefits of 24/7 care, let us first acknowledge the two types of round-the-clock care: 24-hour care and live-in care. The 24-hour care is the closest thing there is to round-the-clock care service. It means that someone is available to provide care and assistance including responding to wandering, preparing meals, administering medications or medication reminders, and other emergencies. Live-in Care, on the other hand, is defined as two caregivers living 24 hours a day in the patient’s home. The availability of live-in care may vary in which state you are in and the federal U.S. Department of Labor requirements vary by state.

The Benefits of Round-the-Clock Care

The 24-hour care and live-in care both is necessary for patients who need maximum care and supervision. Patients suffering from dementia, those with serious injuries and in need of personal care, dressing, undressing, and personal hygiene, patients who have limited body movement, patients who need companionship and stimulation (play activities, exercises, and therapy). 24-hour care ensures that there are help and care available at any hour of the day. This also holds for the live-in care but minus the accommodation and the sleeping requirements. Nonetheless, these two services guarantee that the sick and elderly loved ones are well-monitored and taken care of. For Live-in care, patients and their families can sleep soundly knowing that a professional caregiver is just a tap away should there be any emergencies, especially at night time or whenever family members are away for errands and short trips.

The Benefits of 24/7 Care in this Time of Pandemic

Now more than ever, getting 24/7 and live-in care becomes challenging with the ongoing pandemic, but certainly proves very useful and beneficial. If arrangements are done properly and with the right people involved, patient and their families will be able to enjoy the following benefits of 24-hour or live-in care:

1) Caregivers, especially live-in caregivers are given a strict mandate to protect their clients from infections. They have specific protocols that ensure the safety of the patient and their families from viruses and infections. Not only is the patient safe, but the whole household as well if they adhere to these safety rules and guidelines.

2) Quarantine protocols still apply, and caregivers can certainly assist the clients for errands and other short trips such as groceries, pick-ups subscriptions, and other essential items reducing the risk for exposure of other members of the household.

3) Caregivers can provide company and energy in the house. Social isolation can affect not only the patient but also other members of the family. With one or two new faces every day in the house, it provides a bit of fresh air and companionship. Caregivers can set-up activities or games for patients and their families as well. That way, boredom is lessened and anxiety due to isolation is reduced.

These are just some of the invaluable benefits of 24-hour care and live-in care. Of course, nothing can replace the round-the-clock that family caregivers can provide for their sick and elderly loved ones. But certainly, a little help and presence can certainly boost the morale of patients and the people around them.