Extra support at home is often associated with the elderly. While home care is invaluable to seniors, those with disabilities also seek and benefit from adult home care. Adults aged 18 to 64 who suffer from a disability have the opportunity to live enriching lives when they receive care provided by adult home care professionals.

What is considered a disability?

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a law passed in 1990, a disability is defined in legal, rather than medical, terms. People who experience a limited ability to function in one or more major life activities are considered to have a disability.

In general, disabilities may fall into four categories: physical, which affects an individual’s mobility; sensory, such as hearing or vision loss; intellectual, where the sufferer’s ability to communicate, learn and retain information is obstructed; and mental, where behavior, emotions and thinking are affected.

What are examples of disabilities?

Disabilities may be imperceptible to the average person but affect the sufferer’s neurological, mental or physical function. Special needs individuals may have what is referred to as an invisible disability and experience limits in sensing, mobility or certain life activities.

Invisible disabilities may include symptoms that affect eyesight, hearing, cognition and mental ability. People who live with invisible disabilities may also experience incapacitating fatigue or chronic physical pain. Thousands of illnesses, injuries or conditions that are associated with invisible disabilities exist.

Examples of physical disabilities include cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and spina bifida. Some physical disabilities are acquired, such as brain injuries due to stroke, disease or alcohol. Spinal cord injuries also leave the affected individual with permanent physical disability.

Disabilities may be permanent or temporary. It is worth noting that a person who suffers from a disability is not always considered disabled, especially when the individual is able to function in all the major life activities necessary to live in a community.

People with special needs are able to live and thrive in a community with the help of adult home care. Adults with disabilities rely on home care to live independently or remain with family.

What are the benefits of home care?

Individuals who require constant care due to a disability find comfort in adult home care. For example, those with Down Syndrome are able to live, work and play in their community—albeit with the help of a professional caregiver. Quality of life is sustained, as caregivers provide the necessary support.

Living at home is a clear advantage for people with disabilities. Families know their loved one receives compassionate care in a familiar, secure home setting. Adult home care caregivers offer help as needed in all the activities of daily living.

If living independently is a priority for those with disabilities, adult home care makes this goal possible. Professional caregivers ensure the individual with multiple sclerosis, for instance, is supported in all daily activities, including meal preparation, transportation and morning routines, like grooming and bathing.

What type of non-medical home care is provided?

Professional caregivers offer non-medical assistance with the activities of daily living. A person with cystic fibrosis, for example, will have to consume a very high-calorie diet every day. Caregivers are trained to prepare balanced meals and help with grocery shopping for fresh, nutritious foods.

People confined to a wheelchair or who use a walker benefit from professional caregivers at home. In-home care for these special-needs adults may include assistance with transportation. The caregiver will provide reliable transportation to doctor’s appointments, social outings and to complete errands, for instance.

Those with temporary disabilities, which may occur after a recent surgery, also find significant advantages with adult home care. Professional caregivers will help with medication management, meaning they will remind the individual to take medications on schedule and monitor intake.

Is clinical care available with home care services?

When a sudden illness requires clinical care, home health care services are warranted. Registered nurses, physical therapists or other medical professionals can be hired to provide home health care at home. Following a hospitalization, home health care services assist with recovery.

An individual who becomes disabled as a result of a spinal cord injury, for example, will experience cardiovascular and respiratory problems. Clinical care will provide the necessary medical care, such as monitoring bodily temperature, at home. Plus, physical therapists help improve mobility in paraplegics.

The opportunity for people with disabilities to live fully and as independently as possible is the cornerstone of adult home care. With a qualified caregiver, those who suffer from either temporary or permanent disabilities can build their strengths and function unimpeded in daily life.

Adult home care may be challenging to find, since most home care agencies primarily support the senior population. With due diligence, finding a suitable adult home caregiver is possible. Reputable agencies, such as Assisting Hands Home Care, are recognized for their commitment to individuals of all ages and levels of disability who require personal help at home.

In-home care services provided by Assisting Hands Home Care are comprehensive in nature. The home care agency’s range of non-medical services include help with transportation, bathing, meal preparation, toileting and light housekeeping. Providing companionship is also an integral part of each caregiver’s responsibility.

Assisting Hands Home Care services are extremely flexible. Care recipients may choose to enlist the services of an adult caregiver for a few hours or for lengthy periods, such as three months. Respite care is available if the primary caregiver is away or needs a break from caregiving duties. Should the care recipient’s needs evolve, the initial care plan may be revised to accommodate the changes.