The majority of seniors in Calgary and Alberta say home care helps them stay home longer.
Alberta seniors, especially those in Calgary, are finding that home care has helped them remain in their residences for longer, according to a new survey.
The Health Quality Council of Alberta released the results of a 2018 survey (click here) on the experiences of seniors receiving home care services across the province, and they’ve found that 77 percent of them have stated home care helps them remain in their own residence. Broken down, that number jumps in metro areas such as Calgary, Alberta, to 79 percent.
The goal of home care agencies such as Home Care Assistance Calgary is to help people age in place and live well at home, and it’s working for seniors in Calgary and across Alberta. Home care recipients can be people of any age who are living with a chronic or an acute disease, as well as people who are injured or who had a surgical procedure. The common denominator among these people is that they all require extra assistance to stay in their homes.
The survey analyzed feedback from seniors aged 65 and older, and that’s the largest group of home care clients in the province. A whopping 6,914 senior home care clients shared their experience with home care, and the results are overwhelmingly in favour of the services offered by the likes of Home Care Assistance Calgary.
Seniors responded that they rated their overall average experience with home care at an impressive 8.3 out of 10, which is an improvement over 8.1 out of 10 in the last survey taken in 2015. The survey also asked senior citizens using home care services in Alberta five questions about care continuity, medication supervision, and how responsive home care staff were to client needs. Click here for the results.
- Provincially, 42 percent of clients reported they were very happy with the number of different personal care staff they had.
- Provincially, 38 percent of clients said professional home care staff talked with them about the purpose of their medications.
- Provincially, 21 percent of clients said professional home care staff talked with them about the side effects of their medications
- Provincially, 77 percent of clients said professional home care staff listened carefully to their wishes and needs.
- Provincially, 56 percent of clients said professional home care staff gave them choices about how care was provided.
All of these numbers are expected to improve with some recommendations put forth for home care needs:
- Contracted home care providers will work to fully understand clients’ concerns and expectations with care continuity and develop strategies to address these concerns.
- There will be consultation with professional home care staff and home care clients on what tools and support staff need to improve communication about medication-related information with their home care clients.
- There will be consultation with professional home care staff and home care clients on what tools and support staff need to strengthen their relationships with clients, specifically to more carefully listen to clients’ wishes and needs, and where possible, provide an opportunity for client engagement and choice in how care is provided and managing client expectations and understanding when choices may be limited.
If you’re a senior starting on the path to a healthier way of life, it’s a matter of choice for most of us. With older adults, limited mobility and a decreased social circle can make this choice daunting. Home Care Assistance Calgary, Alberta, can help you and your loved one. Our Health Care Aides are expertly trained in our proprietary Balanced Care Method approach and can provide the support your loved one needs to live a happy and healthy lifestyle at home.
For more information on our services, contact Home Care Assistance Calgary at 403-301-3777.