The value of 24 hour homecare is that it brings assisted living services into the place where most seniors say they would like to age, at home.
24 hour homecare is best suited to someone who needs constant safety monitoring due to Alzheimer’s/dementia or developmental issues, or someone who needs help with activities of daily living such as transferring, ambulation and mobility.
At Home Nursing Care coordinates 24 hour homecare in two ways depending on the needs of the client.
One way involves what used to be called “live-in care”. This is appropriate for a homecare client who needs someone to be available around the clock, but who sleeps much of the night. Two caregivers will be assigned to the client in this case, which we call 24 Hour Extended Care. One will stay for 3 days, the other will typically stay for 4 days, and they will sleep at night when the client sleeps, but will wake up and assist when needed.
In California, the 24 hour homecare caregiver must be paid for all hours worked, even sleeping time, but the rate is lower than regular hourly costs.
The second way we offer 24 hour homecare is through two twelve hour shifts that rotate, a day shift and a night shift. This is most appropriate for home care clients who need to be turned and repositioned every couple of hours, or who need an ‘awake’ caregiver overnight. This is charged at our regular PCA (personal care attendant) hourly rate, but we include the overtime that is required to be paid to the caregivers.
The value of 24 hour homecare is that there are typically fewer faces being introduced to the client, the care is consistent and the plan of care is followed and the quality of life is improved through patient centered care in the home.
The demand for in home caregivers to provide elder care also shows the value of 24 hour homecare. More than 1.8 million Americans are currently employed as professional home care workers (or personal care aides, as defined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics). The number of jobs for personal care aides is expected to grow by 26 percent through 2024, compared to just 6.5 percent on average for all other occupations. ⁵
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the value of 24 hour homecare was seen on a national stage, as many seniors opted to avoid moving into assisted living, or hired Home Care to avoid admission to a skilled nursing facility upon discharge from the hospital
The leaders of several organizations joined together to create this video that highlights the role home care plays in our communities. I invite you to watch it to see how we are working to show the positive role home care plays in helping clients stay safe at home. If you or someone you love needs quality home care in Los Angeles County or San Diego County, feel free to call At Home Nursing Care at 888-634-8004.
