Choosing Between DIY and Professional Home Care: Which One Is Right for You?

Making the decision on who or how best to care for an aged or disabled loved one is a personal and often complicated matter. This is a decision that you would have to make someday seeing that more people are tending towards home care now. For example, over 213,000 Australian adults aged over 65 were […]

Making the decision on who or how best to care for an aged or disabled loved one is a personal and often complicated matter. This is a decision that you would have to make someday seeing that more people are tending towards home care now. For example, over 213,000 Australian adults aged over 65 were receiving home care services as of 2021. There has been a progressive increase in this number with an increasing population of seniors over the years.

When it is eventually time to make the decision of how to take care of your loved one, one part of you would want you to do it yourself or maybe to nominate another family member to do it. The other may want you to hire someone to do it. Either because you’re too busy or you’re not sure it’s something you or any other family member or close friend can do. Just know that both decisions are okay and shouldn’t bother you too much.

Both paths have their advantages and disadvantages and knowing them can assist you in making the right decision. It should be noted that the right decision is one which not only feels right to you but your aged or disabled family member as well. We will explore both DIY and Professional home care services, look at their merits and demerits and help you make the best choice for your loved one’s care and support.

Understanding DIY Home Care

What is DIY home care? DIY home care involves family members, friends or neighbours assuming the role of a caregiver. In simpler terms, it is when a family member or friend takes care of an aged or disabled loved one. There is no professional or outsider involved. Just immediate family and relatives or friends. Family members or friends who wish to volunteer may acquire professional training on home care and healthcare practices but the main idea remains that the role is only undertaken by close family and friends.

The following services are delivered under DIY home care:

• Bathing
• Dressing
• Cooking
• Grooming 
• Mobility support
• Social involvement
• Help with using aids
• Support with academics, career or skills learning 
• Administering and Monitoring Medications
• Emotional and psychological support
• Pet care
• Emergency response
• Gardening 

Benefits of DIY Home Care

DIY home care services have so many advantages. Let us look at some of them:

• Cost-Effective

One of the best benefits of DIY home care is that it is inexpensive. It eliminates the cost associated with hiring and retaining a professional home care worker which has become increasingly more expensive in recent years. Family members or friends do not require remuneration to take care of their loved ones. It is a selfless act that reflects their love and commitment to the care receiver.

Money saved from hiring professional care workers can be used for other important needs like procuring necessary aids, medication, transport and home modifications. It could also come in handy in hiring a respite home care support for when the DIY carer may be busy or sick.

• Personalized Attention

It is only natural that you would know your family member or friend better than an outsider. That is why DIY home care is popular for providing personalised care that meets the top priorities of the aged or disabled loved one. The DIY carer knows which meal is their favourite, their best dress and colour, favourite TV shows and fun activities they enjoy.

• Emotional Bonding

DIY home care helps strengthen the bond between the caregiver and the care receiver. You can imagine the love that would exist between an aged mother-in-law and her daughter-in-law who takes care of her or one between a disabled child taken care of by his/her sibling. They would be inseparable.

• Comfort and Security 

An elderly or disabled person would be more comfortable and safe with a family member or close friend than with a stranger. To have their care taken over by people who love them would increase their trust and allow communication to occur effectively.

Challenges of DIY Home Care

As much as DIY home care services should be promoted, it should not go without saying that they come with certain challenges that sometimes make them rather undesirable. Here are some of the challenges/disadvantages of DIY home care support. Firstly, let’s look at the challenges involved for the caregiver

• Emotional and Physical Strain

Caregiving is both a physically and emotionally draining job. DIY home caregivers often experience burnout, stress and sometimes depression. Balancing caregiving responsibilities with personal life is not always that easy. 

At the end of the day, the caregiver ends up exhausted and may even get ill. This is why it might help to have respite home care workers who can come in from time to time to take away the burden from your shoulders and give you time to get yourself together.

• Takes away your Life

Don’t get this wrong but DIY home care is one of the easiest ways to lose focus on your life dreams or career. Imagine how hard it would be to combine academics or work with taking care of an aged or disabled loved one. 

Your social life also feels a blow. You go out less and when you do, your mind is always divided because you worry about the person under your care. It is only a matter of time before your social life becomes a mess if you do not balance both effectively.

• Limited Resources

DIY caregivers often lack access to the needed medical and financial aid. Allied health services like physical therapy and physiotherapy may also be unavailable. This undermines the quality of care provided.

For the care receiver, here are some of the challenges they might face under DIY home care.

• Lack of Professional Support 

The lack of professional training in home care can be a limiting factor in the card provided under DIY home care services. The care receiver may require more than the caregiver has to offer and that undermines the idea of holistic care.

• Lack of Flexibility 

It may sometimes be hard for DIY care receivers to complain about their unmet needs. Seeing your loved one forfeiting their life to help you and all that, you may feel reluctant to complain about the quality of care you’re receiving. This is wrong as home care services are designed to meet the individual needs of the care receiver at all times. And that involves flexible care that allows for changes when necessary.

• Mixed Feelings 

We all know that feeling. It feels good that your loved ones are taking care of you but you’re also worried that you’re taking away their lives from them. If this kind of feeling is not mitigated, it could lead the care receiver into depression.

Understanding Professional Home Care Services

Professional home care services are provided by trained caregivers or medical personnel who work under agencies or independently. The agencies may be registered like the NDIS-registered providers or they may be unregistered. Both are charged with providing well-trained workers who do excellent jobs in caring for aged or disabled individuals. Professional home care services can be divided into two categories; 

Home Health Workers

These are trained professional health workers who take care of the medical needs of aged or disabled persons at home. Healthcare professionals under home health services include

• Licensed Practical Nurses
• Physiotherapists
• Registered Nurses
• Certified Nursing Assistants
• Therapists 

Home Care Support Workers

Home Care Support Workers are trained individuals who help aged or disabled persons perform their day-to-day activities. They provide personal hygiene care, meal preparation, mobility assistance and any other needs of the care receiver that may be. Under home care support services, the following workers exist for different functions

• Companion care workers who provide emotional and social support to aged or disabled persons as well as help them with tasks around the house 
• Personal care aids who take care of the care receivers’ personal needs like bathing, clothing, brushing and grooming 
• Homemakers who provide household management services like cleaning, laundry, cooking, gardening, etc.
• Respite carers who fill in for other home care workers in the case of their absence or transition to another job.

Benefits of Professional Home Care Services

Let us look at some of the benefits of hiring professional home care workers:

• Expertise

Trained caregivers have a level of medical and caregiving experience that may not be available to family members. They can take readings of vital signs, give medications appropriately, and handle complex health conditions effectively.

• All-in-one Care

Professional care typically comes with access to a host of support services, from physical and speech therapy to meal planning and home safety assessment. This holistic approach can contribute immensely to a care receiver’s quality of life.

• Relief for Family Members

Hiring a professional caregiver relieves relatives from the continuous burden of caregiving. It allows them to become wives, children, or siblings again rather than being full-time caregivers, reintroducing balance in family life.

Challenges of Professional Home Care Services

Professional home care services also have their own challenges or disadvantages. They include:

• Cost

Professional home care services are relatively expensive, especially when required for an extended period of time. Families might be forced to pay quite high extra expenses based on the amount of care required, and without insurance to cover it.

• Less Personalization

Although professional caregivers are trained to provide individualised care, they may not know the care receiver’s personalised needs and habits as much as DIY carers. The level of care personalisation may not be the same as what could be provided by a family member.

• Trust Issues

Having a stranger come into your home and have them care for a loved one can be a bit uncomfortable. It might take a while for the care receiver and family members to trust a new caregiver. Without trust there will be minimal communication, and minimal communication means there cannot be comprehensive care because the more the care receiver is open about their needs, the more support the caregiver gives.

Key Factors to Consider When Deciding

Choosing between DIY home care and Professional home care is dependent on many factors. Let us look at some of these factors:

• Level of Care Needed

Evaluate the care receiver’s daily physical and medical care requirements. If they only need a little help with performing tasks or moving around the house, DIY home care can handle that but if they need more than that, it may be best to employ the services of professionals.

• Financial Resources

Consider your financial state and resources. DIY home care is more cost-effective than professional home care. However you have to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of both and see which give you a better value for your money.

• Availability of Family Members

Assess the available family time and energy to commit to caregiving. There are certain families comprising multiple members who can volunteer and can afford to split the workload, enabling DIY care to be easier. Family obligations and busy work schedules in other cases require professional help.

• Quality of Life

Burnout and stress in a DIY setup can reduce the quality of care. Professional services might offer more consistent and high-quality support that enhances overall well-being.

When DIY Might Be the Right Choice

DIY home care services may be best in the following cases:

• Short-Term Care

If the care needed is temporary, such as during recovery from surgery or an illness, DIY home care can be practical and sufficient. It avoids the need for long-term financial commitments to professional agencies.

• Minimal Assistance Needed

When the individual is largely independent and only needs a little help in doing things like preparing food or going out to shop for groceries, DIY care is typically the most appropriate and economical solution.

• Strong Family Support

Provided the family members are physically and emotionally capable of providing care and are ready to share tasks, DIY home care can work. There are even families who create care timetables so that one member is not overburdened.

When to Opt for Professional Care

You may want to opt for professional home care services in the following cases:

• Complex Medical Needs

For aged or disabled persons who also suffer chronic medical conditions, professional home care services are the best. Professional health home care workers will be required to provide specialized care that DIY home care can not.

• Lack of Family Availability

DIY home care can only be possible if there are available family members or friends who are ready to undertake the task. In the case where family members are too busy with work or live outside, professional home care services should be the go-to option.

• Safety Concerns

In situations where there exists a high risk of falls, medication management issues, or declining health status, professional home care services provide a safer environment.  Caregivers are trained to identify and address such risks early.

Combining Both DIY and Professional Home Care Services: A Balanced Approach

You don’t always have to choose between DIY home care and professional home care service. You can achieve the best of both and enjoy the holistic care which it offers. A combination of both home care services will offer you better results because each one has a lot of benefits which, when combined with the other, gives better results.

For example, family members might handle companionship and day-to-day tasks during the day while professional caregivers step in for medical-related tasks and overnight supervision or vice versa. This way, the family members can have time for themselves, reducing stress and burnout. It also allows the healthcare worker to go about their other jobs and only come in when they’re needed. With the much-needed rest, everyone can provide better care and support.

Combining DIY and professional home care services also allows for flexibility. Flexibility in the sense that the care receiver will have the chance to share their needs between the two care paths. If their care needs become more medically related, the arrangement can be adjusted to allow the professional worker more time with the care receiver to help them better.

Conclusion

I guess you never know how hard it is to decide on which type of home care support you want for your loved ones until it’s time. Between being close, caring and supporting them and hiring professionals who are most likely strangers to do the job, it is not so easy to choose. However, understanding your loved ones needs and evaluating your abilities in providing them gives you a clear understanding of which choice to go with.

Going for a combination of both may be the best option if you can afford or manage it. At the end of the day, the aim remains to provide excellent care to your loved ones. Remember that the best care isn’t just about the quality of services provided but by how it was provided and by whom. Give your loved ones the care they deserve, today.