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Choosing Home Care Over Residential: The Unseen Benefits of Domiciliary Care

The decision to seek additional care for an elderly loved one is never easy. The choice between domiciliary care—care provided in the home—and residential care is one that families often wrestle with. With so many options, it’s crucial to consider what will best serve the specific needs and preferences of your loved one. In this blog, we’ll explore the reasons why domiciliary care may offer advantages over residential care, helping you make an informed decision for your family.

The Comfort of Familiar Surroundings

One of the most compelling arguments for domiciliary care is the emotional comfort and stability it provides. There’s a unique sense of ease and wellbeing that comes from staying in a familiar environment, surrounded by personal belongings and memories. This comfort is especially beneficial for those with memory-related conditions like dementia. According to several studies, familiar settings can have a positive impact on cognitive function and emotional health. In contrast, the transition to a residential care setting can sometimes exacerbate confusion and stress, making adjustment a challenging process.

Maintaining Independence and Control

Staying at home allows your loved one to retain a sense of autonomy, which is empowering for many older adults. They have the freedom to follow their daily routines, eat what they like, and go about their day as they please—all under the watchful eye of a qualified carer. In a residential care setting, the institutional nature often restricts individual freedoms and imposes a predetermined schedule, which can feel stifling for some.

Smiling elderly woman with white hair and glasses, holding a mug, sitting indoors in a cozy environment. - Home Instead

Personalised One-to-One Care

When considering the transition to care for an older loved one, it’s a common misconception that residential care facilities provide a lot of one-to-one care. In reality, these establishments are not designed to provide focused, individual attention around the clock. On the other hand, domiciliary care offers a one-to-one support service that takes place in the comfort of your loved one’s home. This enables a much more personalised approach to care, tailored to meet the individual’s unique needs.

A young woman and an older woman sit on a couch, smiling at each other while holding hands. - Home Instead

Safety and Fall Risks

Another point worth considering is the assumption that residential care facilities are safer environments, particularly concerning fall risks. Surprisingly, statistics show that more falls occur in care homes due to the unfamiliar environment. While it’s true that you can never entirely eliminate the risk of a fall, the known and familiar environment of one’s own home can actually provide a safer setting for older adults.

A young woman helps an elderly woman walk up the stairs in a well-lit building with a potted plant on a ledge. - Home Instead

The Importance of a Familiar Environment

There’s an immeasurable value in the familiarity of home. Your loved one already knows the layout well, which minimises the risk of falls and other accidents. The emotional benefits are just as significant; home is where memories have been made, and it’s an environment filled with associations that can provide comfort and stability, particularly for those living with conditions like dementia.

Elderly couple holding hands across a table with coffee and croissants, smiling and enjoying a moment together. - Home Instead

Time and Attention: Quality Over Quantity

The care plan in a domiciliary setting is designed in a holistic manner to meet your loved one’s whole range of needs. For instance, receiving an hour of dedicated one-to-one time every day in your own home accumulates to seven hours of focused care in a week. This often exceeds the personalised attention one might receive in a care home, where staff have multiple residents to look after.

A younger woman assists an elderly woman up the stairs in a building, holding hands and smiling at each other. - Home Instead

Take the Next Step with Home Instead in Folkestone, Hythe and Ashford

If you’re considering care options for your loved one in the Folkestone, Hythe, and Ashford area, we invite you to get in touch with us at Home Instead. We pride ourselves on offering tailored care plans that focus on the whole person, not just their medical needs. Our compassionate and trained Care Professionals are dedicated to delivering the highest standard of care, right in the comfort of your loved one’s home.

So why not take that crucial first step towards securing peace of mind and quality care? Contact us today to learn more about how Home Instead Folkestone, Hythe and Ashford can support you and your family on this important care journey.