Home Helpers

Home Care Options: What's right for you

Perhaps more difficult than admitting that your parent or loved needs your help as caregiver is admitting that you simply can't do it alone. When you've hit your physical and emotional limits in caregiving, you shouldn't feel guilty -- and you certainly shouldn't lose hope. There are a myriad ways to find and get the help you need, all the while improving the care your loved one receives and your relationship.

In-home care is easy, and it allows your parent or loved one to keep his or her pride and enjoy the comforts of home. Not all in-home care comes in form of a live-in nurse.

Here's a breakdown of the most common kinds of in-home help available:

Companion homemakers: These folks are here to help you with chores around the house, not provide your parent or loved one with medical support. Cooking, cleaning, laundry, walking the dog, yard work -- think of companion homemakers as eager and willing helpers.

Home health aides: Home health aides give you a break from helping your parent or loved one with bathing, dressing, using the bathroom and other needs. They can be full-time, live-in or part-time, depending on your needs.

Therapists: Helping with physical issues, speech, emotional distress and a variety of other needs, therapists are more akin to doctors making house calls than they are to around-the-house helpers -- but when leaving home is an issue, homecare therapists fit the bill perfectly.

Registered nurses: A registered nurse (RN) is trained to provide skilled medical care to meet your parent or loved one's needs, whether that's on a part-time basis or full-time, live-in.

Admitting you need help and getting it will always be better than letting things fall apart, so ask before it's too late.