Most families hope to keep their aging loved ones at home for as long as possible. Home is familiar, comfortable, and filled with cherished memories. It’s where we feel safe. But as our parents, grandparents, or even close family friends begin to age, their needs change — and sometimes those changes can quietly overwhelm the people who love them most.

If you’ve found yourself juggling caregiving responsibilities on top of your own job, family, and commitments, you’re not alone. Many adult children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and neighbors face these challenges every day. The good news is, you don’t have to do it all by yourself. There are caring, compassionate home care services available to help ease the load — and extend the time your loved one can safely and happily remain at home.

At LivWell Seniors, we help families navigate these decisions every day. In this post, we’ll walk you through what home care means, how to recognize when it’s needed, how to start those tough conversations with loved ones, and when it might be time to consider other options.

What Is Home Care?

Home care is a type of non-medical support provided in a person’s own home to help them remain independent. It can include assistance with daily activities such as:

• Bathing and grooming
• Dressing
• Meal preparation and feeding
• Medication reminders
• Light housekeeping
• Laundry
• Companionship
• Transportation to appointments or errands

You may also want to consider hiring other services to help your loved one stay at home to assist with home maintenance chores like lawn care, snow removal, or handyman services — tasks that become difficult for seniors but are essential for maintaining a safe, comfortable home environment.

Signs It Might Be Time for Home Care

Many caregivers fall into the role gradually. You start by picking up groceries or dropping off a prescription, and before you know it, you’re managing medications, cooking meals, shoveling snow, and making sure Mom or Dad gets to their doctor’s appointments.

So how do you know when it’s time to bring in extra help? Here are a few signs to watch for:

• You’re helping with activities of daily living (ADLs) like bathing, dressing, or medication management.
• Your loved one calls with a long to-do list every time you visit.
• Household chores are becoming too difficult — whether it’s mowing the lawn, taking out the trash, or cleaning.
• Your loved one is missing meals or medications.
• You feel overwhelmed, stretched too thin, or constantly worried about their safety and well-being.

If any of this sounds familiar, it’s time to start considering home care services.

The Caregiver Balancing Act

Caregiving is one of the most loving things you can do for someone — but it’s also one of the hardest. Most family caregivers are juggling their own responsibilities: raising children, helping with grandchildren, working full-time jobs, and trying to have a life outside of caregiving.

It can quickly become exhausting. And while you want to be there for your loved one, you deserve support too. Too often, caregivers give up caring for themselves first. You skip your own doctor’s appointments, hobbies, and social activities because you’re so focused on someone else’s needs.

One thing we gently remind families at LivWell is that you don’t have to do everything alone. Bringing in trusted home care services doesn’t mean you love your parent or grandparent any less. It means you’re making sure they get the help they need — and that you preserve the relationship you have with them, instead of it being dominated by a never-ending to-do list.

Starting the Conversation

One of the biggest challenges families face is addressing the topic of outside help with an aging loved one who insists they’re “just fine.”

And in many ways, they may be. But what we often see is that a parent or grandparent’s independence is made possible because adult children or relatives are quietly picking up the slack. In those cases, the elder’s independence comes at the cost of the caregiver’s well-being.

When you’re ready to start the conversation, approach it gently:

• Emphasize your desire to help them stay at home.
• Focus on their preferences and concerns.
• Highlight how a little extra help can make visits more enjoyable — so you can spend quality time together instead of crossing off chores.
• Let them know you’re still their advocate and that any decisions are made together.

At LivWell, we’re happy to help families navigate these conversations too. Sometimes having a neutral third party involved makes those talks a little easier.

How Much Does Home Care Cost?

Cost is one of the first questions families ask, and understandably so. The rates for home care typically range between $30–$40 per hour, depending on:

• The number of hours needed per day
• The level of care required
• Where your loved one lives

If your loved one needs help for a few hours in the morning and evening — for example, to get dressed, take medications, and eat — that might be manageable. But if care needs increase to 6-8 hours per day or more, it may be time to evaluate whether a senior living community would be a better fit.

Options for covering the cost of home care include:

• Private pay
• Long-term care insurance policies
• Veteran’s benefits (for eligible veterans and surviving spouses)
• Limited state-funded programs (based on qualification)

At LivWell, we work with families to explore which options might be available based on their financial situation and personal preferences.

When Is It Time to Consider Senior Living?

One way to gauge this is by comparing the cost and quality of life benefits. If you’re paying for 6-8 hours of home care a day, the monthly cost might be close to what a senior living community would charge — with the added benefit of 24-hour support, social activities, dining services, and peace of mind.

Families often tell us they didn’t realize how isolated and lonely their loved one felt until they moved into a community setting and reconnected with others.

We’re Here to Help

At LivWell Seniors, we understand that every family’s situation is different. Whether you’re just starting to notice signs that extra help might be needed, or you’re in the middle of a crisis trying to figure out the next steps, you don’t have to navigate this alone.

We offer free, compassionate information and referral services to help you find trusted home care providers, senior living communities, and other resources tailored to your loved one’s needs.

Reach out to us anytime — we’re here evenings and weekends too.

? (563) 265-1577
? livwellseniors.com

Your loved one deserves to age with dignity, and you deserve support along the way. Let’s walk this road together.