When people think of having a home health aide come into their home, they think that the aide can help them with personal care needs like showering, bathing, and dressing. These are the core duties of an aide and are essential to maintaining your independence as you age at home. Even though aides are known for helping with those personal care situations, there are other things that an aide can do that go far beyond standard personal care. Here are some other things that they can help you with:

Food preparation

One of the biggest problems with staying alone when you are older is preparing healthy meals. Microwave meals can be prepared easily, but aren't nutritionally healthy. A home health aide can prepare home cooked meals without all of the preservatives and problems of instant meals. They can also make short trips to the store to get ingredients so that you aren't limited to what your family gets when they come in for a visit.

Vacuuming and light housework

A clean home is a big deal. Unfortunately as you age, it gets progressively harder to take care of your home. Your range of motion isn't good, you can get short of breath easier, and you lose muscle mass. As a result, the home that you were able to keep clean when you were younger can get messy.

A home health aide can come in and take care of that during their visit so that you don't have to worry about the challenges of keeping up with your home. As a result, you can still be comfortable in your home without having the extra worry associated with keeping it spotless.

Companionship services

When your spouse has died, it can be a challenge because there isn't anybody around for you to communicate with. One of the things that your aide can do is help with that. They are wonderful communicators and love to spend some time talking about life and the world. As a result, they can bring the friendship and companionship to your home that you haven't been able to have.

Beyond improving your mood, these visits can actually improve your health. These visits can leave you feeling refreshed, rejuvenated, and ready for the day.

As you bring an aide into your home, build a relationship with them and don't hesitate to ask if they can help you with some of the other needs you have around your house. Talk to services such as JFS at Home to learn more.