Elderly Services - Visitation Services

Senior citizens living alone are prime candidates for depression and the possible need for elderly services. Whether an elderly parent has recently

lost a spouse or has lived alone for several years, seniors in such situations often find themselves growing more isolated every year.

Friends move, pass away, or become home bound themselves. Cold or unpleasant weather prevents many seniors from attempting to go shopping, visiting, or socializing at local senior centers or with family or friends.

Elderly Services - Visitation Services

Many communities around the United States offer elderly visitation services for individuals suffering from physical impairment, mental disabilities, or lack of transportation or funds to pay for taxis or bus fare.

Visitation services include but are not limited to helping the elderly with grocery shopping, taking them to and from hospital or medical appointments, or providing general companionship services.

In many locations, elderly services of visitation or volunteer companions may be accessed through local Chambers of Commerce or Social Services or Health Department personnel. Ask physicians and other health care providers for options as well.

Elderly services of visitation provide scheduled companionship to the elderly, which helps to prevent depression and isolation, especially around the holidays or difficult seasons for the elderly. Visitation services in communities are generally staffed by volunteers, though professional organizations may provide certified and trained Home Health aides for such services.

Such elderly services may also include evenings’ out, day trips, and holiday events for the elderly, focused on improving and enhancing quality of life for those isolated from family and friends.

What Do Elderly Services of Visitation Provide?

In most scenarios, visitation services provide non-medical home care and companionship services for individuals still living at home or assisted living type facilities.

Elderly companionship or visitation services help fill the gap in elder care of adult children or other family members or care providers with work and family responsibilities and obligations that may prevent them from spending as much time as they wish with their elderly parent or parents.

Most elderly services are available on a daily basis, and many include weekend and holiday visitation schedules. In most cases, visitation schedules include but are not limited to:

Companionship
Home safety checks that also focus on fall prevention * Taking out trash
Providing medication reminders
Helping with laundry and other light household chores such as bringing in the mail or newspaper, removing trash, and folding clothes

Visitation or companionship services may also help the elderly with bill paying, letter writing, and arranging appointments, transportation and errands. Companions may also read to the elderly, play games, or engage in a variety of crafts or activities inside the home.

Some visitation or companionship services offer meal planning, preparing grocery lists, clipping coupons and shopping for groceries. Some organizations offer the elderly preparation of nutritious meals, cleaning refrigerators, or otherwise monitoring specialized diet and nutritional needs.

Finding a Companion

Companions for the elderly may be found through local resources such as the Chamber of Commerce or the Department of Health and Human Services in any given community. The Internet as well as the Yellow Pages phone book often advertise for home visitation services.

Most services offer free evaluations and price guidelines for companionship or visitation services depending on need. It will be up to the primary care provider to determine the day-to-day tasks or needs that have become increasingly difficult if not impossible for an elderly parent to manage on their own. Individualized plans and schedules are offered and arranged based on need.

Visitation service providers offer extra help and support to the elderly individuals considered at risk for depression, falls or those diagnosed in the early stages of Alzheimer's or dementia, while the socially isolated, memory impaired, and depressed benefit the most from home visitation or companionship services.

Companions

When looking into visitation or companionship services, ensure that companions chosen for a parent are well informed regarding the parent's interests, hobbies, dietary requirements, preferences, and health history.

Prospective companion or visitation organizations and personnel should be put through background checks, bonded, and insured. Even if they pass such checks with flying colors, regular and thorough monitoring is suggested to ensure high quality care and

that services are being performed according to the needs of the elderly person.

Discuss special needs or concerns and challenges that a parent might experience, and ask for references and resources before making a final decision on companionship or visitation services. Some companions are available for live-in or live-out schedules and scenarios, as are those who work part time or full time on weekends, evenings, and holidays.

Talking with Mom and Dad