Companion: Which Type Do You Need?
Posted on: 24 February 2015
When you get older, you may find that some of your daily tasks are harder to handle on your own. For this reason, you should look into the different types of companions from home healthcare agencies (such as AAA Referral & Home Health) and choose the right one for your needs.
Non-Medical
The first type of companion you will find offers non-medical assistance to their clients. These individuals help with daily activities such as laundry, cooking, cleaning, transportation and shopping.
Depending on your level of need, you can choose a companion that helps with all of these aspects or just one of these tasks. To start, you can hire the companion to help with light housework a few days each week until you become more comfortable having the person around. After some time, you can choose to expand their services to help you on a regular basis with most of your daily tasks.
It is important to note that most non-medical companions can help in an emergency medical situation. A number of home health care agencies require all of their companions to have training in first aid and CPR. The agencies require this additional training so their clients have competent help at all times.
Medical
Another type of companion offers medical assistance to those with physical or mental impairments. In these cases, the individual can help with medication monitoring, post surgical wound care and memory exercise for those with Alzheimer's or dementia.
Some medical companions also offer help with physical therapy after surgeries. This service can help you regain some of your mobility faster, so you can regain the ability to handle daily tasks around your home. Additionally, many of these aids offer the same services as a non-medical companion as a part of their daily assistance to their clients.
Social
Even though most companions fall into the first two categories, there is another type. This type is known as a social companion. The services a social companion offers has more to do with interacting with you, instead of helping you with daily tasks.
Some people do not have any issues taking care of themselves, but they do cut themselves off from society as they age. This can happen if your friends pass away or they move in with family members that live in a different town.
To keep yourself from shutting out the world, you can hire a social companion that spends time with you on a regular basis. These individuals can read or talk to you about what is going on in the world. Some companions will also go places with you, so you have someone to talk to about what you see or you can get their opinion on what items you should buy. The idea is to have someone around so you do not isolate yourself inside your home.
Whether you need some help with medical issues or you want someone to spend time with, you should be aware of all of your options. By taking some time to look through the different types of companions, you will be able to choose the right one for your needs.
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