In Conversation with Carol Bradley Bursack to Bring Her Insights on the Role of Home Care Agencies in Dementia Care

Home care agencies play a pivotal role in providing comprehensive care to individuals living with dementia. They offer personalized assistance that allows clients to remain in their familiar home environment, enhancing their overall well-being.

Services typically include medication management, meal preparation, personal hygiene assistance, and companionship. Further, caregivers from home care agencies provide respite for family members, allowing them to balance their own needs with those of their loved ones.

By fostering a safe and supportive living environment, home care agencies contribute significantly to the quality of life for individuals with dementia and their families.

To shed some light on the same, we interviewed a home care industry expert to bring her perspective on the role of home care agencies in dementia care.

Let us now delve into what she has to say about the role of home care agencies in dementia care:

Question 1: What are the most common challenges you’ve encountered when providing care for family members with dementia or other age-related conditions? How can home care agencies best support families navigating these challenges?

Between employment, childcare, and caring for sometimes multiple aging family members, caregivers are stretched to the limit. I’ve been there, and it’s rough.

Good quality in-home care can relieve the caregiver of constant worry because there are more eyes on the older adults. Additionally, since agency caregivers offer companionship, they can alleviate elder loneliness.

Even if a family doesn’t need an agency caregiver daily, many need someone to help older adults with specific functions like bathing.

Question 2: Based on your extensive experience as a support group facilitator, what are the key factors that contribute to a successful home care experience for older adults and their families?

Family caregivers hiring in-home services want consistency, meaning the same agency caregivers are coming into the home. This is important for anyone welcoming a stranger, but when people have dementia, consistency is vital.

Caregivers also stress compassion, the ability to engage the person they are caring for, willingness to work for the right fit between elder and caregiver, and communication.

Question 3: In your role as a consultant, what insights have you gained about the evolving needs and preferences of older adults who wish to age in place?

With newer technologies such as smart lights and doorbell cameras available, aging in place is becoming a more realistic goal for many who wouldn’t have considered it before.

Additionally, excellent products are coming on the market to make bathrooms and kitchens safer. This can mean that an enormously expensive construction upgrade is not necessary.

Question 4: Your newspaper column and media interviews have provided a platform to share personal caregiving stories. What are the most impactful lessons you’ve learned from these stories that you believe home care agencies should keep in mind?

Personality matches aren’t always easy, but flexibility in finding the right caregiver match will win over and keep clients. Additionally, family caregivers like to be able to check on the care their loved one is receiving so if the agency has a convenient way to share insight, that’s a plus.

Question 5: What do you believe are the most critical skills or qualities home care professionals should possess to provide exceptional care and support to older adults and their families?

Hire people who genuinely like older adults. Be willing to work to find the right match. When hiring, understand that not everyone is cut out for this role even if well trained, and older adults sense when their caregiver doesn’t like or respect them.

The agency caregiver should be able to engage with the older person in a way that the older adult, at least over time, feels safe and comfortable welcoming them into their home.

Then, the agency caregiver should be properly trained. They should be able to help the older adult bathe, dress appropriately for health, encourage medications, and do other tasks that keep the older adult as safe and content as possible.

In Conclusion

Home care agencies play a vital role in supporting individuals with dementia and their families. As an experienced caregiver and support group facilitator, Carol Bradley Bursack emphasizes the importance of consistency, compassion, and personality matching in delivering exceptional in-home care.

Agencies must prioritize finding the right caregiver fit, as older adults can sense when a caregiver is not genuinely engaged. Further, Bursack highlights the evolving needs of older adults who wish to age in place, noting the growing availability of assistive technologies.

By addressing these key factors, home care agencies can significantly enhance the quality of life for those living with dementia.