The holidays are always a time when we think about family. It is often at holidays, in fact, when an increasing number of Americans think about their family members who are elderly, but still living at home. During the holidays we hope that our loved ones are healthy and not lonely, happy and not depressed. The holidays are also a time when many people have the opportunity to visit their family members who they might not visit very often.
It may be at these holiday visits when some families grow concerned that a parent or a grandparent may not be doing as well as the family had hoped. You might realize when you visit your grandmother, for instance, that although the cleaning service is doing a good job of maintaining the home, your grandmother may go days at a time with no visitors. Knowing that both the mental, as well as physical, needs of a loved one are cared for leads many families to consider finding an in-home companionship option. Knowing that your grandmother has someone keeping her company for two or three hours a day, for instance, can help you make sure that your loved one is living a happier life.

Finding quality care for your loved ones, however, can be a challenge. Making sure that you have someone who is both knowledgeable and trustworthy is essential, but it is also essential to find someone who will provide loving and caring in-home companionship.
Consider some of these facts and figures about the reasons that many families are looking for certified caregivers and the options that a home care assistance company might be able to provide for your family:

• 90% of those surveyed indicate that they have not talked about critical long-term care issues with their spouse or partner, aging parents, or adult children.
• 55% of Americans surveyed indicated that their greatest fear regarding a long-term care illness or event was being a burden on their family, according to a study by Genworth Financial.
• 65.7 million informal and family caregivers provide care to someone who is aged, ill, or disabled in the U.S.
• 43.5 million caregivers provide assistance for someone who is 50 years and older. Another 14.9 million care for someone who has Alzheimer’s or other Dementia.
• 80% of elderly people, including many with several functional limitations, receive assistance and still live in private homes in the community, not in institutions thanks to in-home companionship.
• Some studies indicate that those who receive in-home care visit the doctor 25% fewer times than those that do not receive in-home care. Clients with Alzheimer’s or other dementia diseases also benefit from in home care. In fact, these patients made almost 50% less trips to the doctor.

Many transitions in life are difficult, but when you are helping an aging parent transition into a lifestyle that requires more assistance, you could benefit from the help of organizations with experience in companionship care.