What is a Live-In Caregiver?

A live-in caregiver resides with the person they care for and is available to assist them during any time of the dayor night. Live-in caregivers are usually given a room and expected to sleep, but they are “on call” if the care recipient needs help during the night. Generally, a live-in caregiver has a caregiver partner who fills in so that she may have a day or days off.

When a senior needs care around the clock, such as an individual with dementia, an agitated individual or one who cannot make his needs known, senior care is provided in two twelve-hour shifts with two caregivers. Each caregiver is expected to be fully awake during her shift.

What is a Caregiver?

A caregiver is someone who provides assistance to another person who cannot live fully independently due to  physical, psychological, or mental disability. Caregivers can be family members, friends, neighbors, or caring, salaried individuals. Caregivers may have duties which are fairly light, such as stopping by someone’s house every few days to tidy up or prepare a meal, or the duties may be more involved, such as living with someone to provide constant assistance with a variety of tasks.

What are Activities of Daily Living?

This is a term you will hear often as you plan for the care of your loved one. Activities of daily living are daily self-care activities that help keep a person independent and healthy. A few examples are: bathing, dressing, toileting, medication reminders, walking, transportation and meal preparation.

What can Caregivers do?

For over 16 years, Houston’s Innovative Nurses and Sitters has provided all levels of care from check-in visits and personal assistance to transportation and live-in care.  We go where you need us: home, hospital, short or long term care communities and rehabilitation centers. We are licensed, bonded and insured.  Our caregivers are carefully screened, kind and trustworthy. We are specialists in long term care and making the senior living experience a joyful one.

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Here are some of the things an Innovative Caregiver can do in caring for the elderly and persons with disabilities:

• Personal Care Assistance: Caregivers help clients with all activities of daily living (ADL) including getting in     and out of bed, walking, bathing, toileting, dressing, medication reminders, appointment scheduling,     answering the phone and door, handling mail, and more.
• Companionship: Caregivers provide one–on-one support including conversation, reading, cards, games,     memory drills and companionship.
• Homemaking Services: Caregivers prepare nutritionally sound meals and help with grocery shopping as     necessary.  Home care is part of aged care. Caregivers keep the home orderly through changing linens,     making beds, dusting, watering plants, disposal of garbage, and more.
• Transportation: Caregivers transport senior citizens and persons with disabilities to doctors, hair     appointments, grocery shopping and miscellaneous errands.
• Client Check-in Calls: INS will provide someone to drop in for 1 to 2 hours several times a week to check     on the well-being of a client. This service is invaluable to family members who work or those that need a     break from being the full-time caregiver.
• Assistance with Mobility: Caregivers assist clients with walking and exercises as permitted and outlined     by a health care professional.
• Tube Feeding: INS caregivers are trained in tube feeding.
• Alzheimer’s, Dementia, MS or Parkinson’s Care Assistance: INS caregivers are trained and experienced in     the care of Alzheimer’s, Dementia, Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s patients.
• Live-In Care: INS can provide care 24 hours a day, seven days a week for clients in need of round the clock     care. We provide 24 hour supervision and custodial care.
• Respite Care: This service gives family caregivers an opportunity to spend time away from their loved one     with the confidence that a trained professional is administering care in their absence.
• Hospice Support Care: Our caregivers work alongside hospice staff caring for the terminally ill.

Can a Caregiver go to a Nursing Home or Hospital with my elder?

We go where you need us: home, hospital, short or long term care communities and rehabilitation centers.
Believe it or not, much of our caseload  at Innovative Nurses and Sitters is caring for elders that are in hospitals, assisted living communities, nursing homes and long term care facilities.

Many families worry that their senior is not getting the attention and companionship that they would like. You can employ one of our trustworthy caregivers  to accompany your elder to the hospital, rehabilitation center or nursing home. It adds a level of comfort that your loved one is cared for around the clock, and can ease the anxiety of the care recipient as well as the family.