As part of my monthly article of “community kindness,” I want to call out people that provide care for the sick and/or elderly. This vocation may be a paid position or a volunteer activity. Either way, it is a much-needed service that does not get enough recognition.
My husband recently needed some physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT), which was provided at our home. The Senior Home Health Care organization came twice a week to ensure he was getting PT opportunities to keep his muscles and joints active at home, rather than having to go to the gym (where he normally works out). They also had OT experts come and identify any updates they could add to make his recovery period safer. They added handrails in the bathroom shower, and checked the stairs inside and outside of the house to see if those were safe. Other items such as a shower chair/bench, bed railing and handle grips were offered if needed.
The community kindness that I am most grateful for is the interaction during the visit between the therapists and my husband. With trips outside of the house being somewhat perilous early on, he greatly appreciated conversation with someone (anyone) other than his wife (no insult taken…). The visits were relaxed and not rushed and ensured adequate time to chat about any concerns he had. I saw his mood a little brighter after their visits.
I know several people in our neighborhood that worked as personal care attendants in the past. I didn’t know then what a valuable service they provided. For people living alone with a health issue that requires monitoring, the home visits are good for the patient’s physical and mental health.
If you have an opportunity to meet a care provider, thank them for their service. If you know someone that might need home visits while recovering from a health issue, encourage the patient (or a family member if you know them) to look into the possibility of having this kind interaction provided through their insurance or Medicare.