Receiving Home Health Care in Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx
Posted in Queens and the Bronx
Outer Borough Home Health Care
New York City consistently ranks among the best US cities for older adults thanks to its extensive public transit system, dense network of senior-focused service providers and the ease in which seniors can reach places like supermarkets, pharmacies and senior centers with just a few blocks of walking.
While these characteristics paint a rosy picture of aging in New York, any local can tell you that outside of Manhattan, only the most densely-packed neighborhoods in Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and the Bronx offer the same level of door-to-door convenience for older adults.
Seniors living in the outer boroughs might face different challenges than those living in Manhattan, but that doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy the same quality of life with a little forward planning and the assistance of a reliable, reputable home health care agency. Read on to learn how aging in place differs in the outer boroughs and how home health care can help!
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Scheduling, commuting and proximity of fill-in aides becomes more important
Most home caregivers reach their clients by public transportation, and getting to your doorstep might involve multiple transfers or a longer overall travel time. As a result, it becomes critical that home health care agencies give their aides thorough instructions on how to reach a client, and good agencies will try to always have at least one backup aide who can easily reach the client if their primary aide falls ill or is otherwise unable to reach the client.
Conversely, larger agencies might have one or even several aides living in the same neighborhood as the client, eliminating this concern and actually delivering superior reliability to outer borough clients!
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Day-to-day errands can become more time consuming
Forgetting to buy milk at the grocery store isn’t a major hurdle if the shop is just an elevator ride away, but longer door-to-door travel times in outer borough settings mean outdoor shopping excursions must be planned and executed much more carefully.
This means outer borough seniors benefit more from creating detailed shopping lists before running errands, and working with a detail-oriented home caregiver can make stocking a home a much smoother process. Additionally, since trips to the grocery store might be less frequent but involve purchasing larger amounts of products, arranging for services like grocery deliveries can become incredibly valuable.
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Household tasks can become more complex
Most large apartment buildings have a super, handyman or maintenance team dedicated to handling household repairs and upkeep, not so with most single-occupant homes.
Having a home health aide in the home can help seniors spot small problems like cracked paint or a leaky pipe before they can cause serious damage. If a plumber, electrician or other maintenance worker must come into the home, having a caregiver present provides seniors with a better sense of security and accountability while the work is performed.
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Social Isolation is a larger concern
Social isolation is a serious hazard for seniors in any environment, but the challenge becomes more acute when senior centers and other social gathering places are farther from an older adults home.
Not only does a home caregiver help keep a senior socially engaged in the home, they can also provide the encouragement and empowerment needed to help their client stay active in their existing social circles, or try new experiences that will help keep them engaged with the outside world.
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Emergency Preparedness plans are vital
Outer borough neighborhoods are historically more vulnerable to emergency events like flooding, heavy snowfall and utility outages, meaning that having a well-stocked pantry of emergency supplies and a clearly defined emergency plan are even more vital in these environments.
While having a home health aide present during an emergency is critical, the most important emergency preparedness steps are actually taken long before a situation becomes dire – many home health care agencies provide clients with customized emergency preparedness plans designed to provide continuity of service and access to vital medical supplies before, during and after an emergency event.
As you can see, there is absolutely no reason why those aging-in-place in the outer boroughs of New York City cannot enjoy the same benefits of Manhattan seniors, provided they seek the support of reputable, reliable home health care agencies and caregivers.
SelectCare has served clients in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx for more than 30 years, helping seniors live happier, healthier lives in the comfort of their long-time homes and providing their loved ones with the peace of mind they deserve.
To learn how SelectCare helps, call SelectCare today or request a free in-home care guide!