Whether it’s due to illness, old age, or any other matter that would leave you incapacitated, you need someone to take care of you. And who could be better than a professional caregiver?
Read on as we tell you everything about personal care services, from what they are to what you might want them for.
What Is a PCS Caregiver? Understanding Caregiver Services
Personal care services (PCS) is a Medicaid program that provides old or disabled people living at home with various services. These include personal care, care management, assistance with medications, etc.
PCS caregivers are health professionals who work in a home environment to provide care, assistance, and companionship to fragile individuals. So, what exactly does a PCS caregiver do?
What Are Some Tasks of a Caregiver?
Light Housekeeping
Physical environments have a dramatic effect on both a person’s well-being and their healing process. PCS providers and family caregivers work with individuals who cannot perform basic housework for themselves.
As such, they create a conducive environment for you. Part of that process involves doing a little housekeeping to keep things looking neat and in order. This might include anything from cleaning the house to doing the dishes.
Laundry and Ironing
Imagine having to wear dirty clothes just because you’re unable to wash or iron for yourself. It would feel awful, right?
Regardless of the nature of your condition, looking good goes a long way in making you more comfortable and feeling better about yourself. As part of their duties, PCS caregivers do your laundry, ironing, and fold your clothes.
Shopping/Errands
If you are disabled or chronically ill, then the chances are that you can’t step out of the house on your own, let alone perform errands. You need someone to do it for you; a PCS can be that person.
PCS caregivers are responsible for shopping for essential things around the house, like groceries. Also, if you have important errands to run, your PCS family caregiver will help you with those.
Meal Preparation
What you eat affects your energy levels on a daily basis. It can also play a role in both improving your healing process and reducing the effects of chronic disease. Most incapacitated individuals who require personal care services face a tremendous degree of stress owing to their condition.
A good meal can help alleviate some of that stress and, in some cases, help you heal better. For that reason, you need a PCS caregiver to select and prepare nutritious and beneficial meals for you.
Medication Reminders
Both the disabled and people suffering from chronic illnesses have a myriad of prescription medications that should be taken in specific amounts at certain times. A PCS caregiver can remind you to take your medicine, and if need be, administer it.
Assistance With Personal Hygiene
Most incapacitated individuals cannot perform basic duties for themselves, including personal hygiene tasks. PCS caregivers help their patients maintain proper hygiene. This might involve anything from assisting them when changing their clothes to doing their laundry.
Incontinence Care
Incontinence in caregiving means helping an individual achieve or maintain control of their bowel and bladder functions. If you are incapacitated, you might be unable to control your bowel and bladder functions, often leading to a mess. PCS caregivers can help you through this ordeal.
Monitor Vital Signs
If you’re an accident victim or suffering from chronic diseases, you may be hooked up to life support or heart monitoring equipment at all times, even when being treated at home. PCS caregivers monitor your vital signs and call a doctor if anything goes wrong.
We’ve covered what a caregiver does, but why would you need one?
Why Would Someone Need Family Caregivers?
If They Are Recovering From an Illness or Surgery
In some cases, when you’re recovering from an illness or major surgery, you’re unable to perform basic duties like cooking, general housekeeping, and even running errands.
If you don’t have a spouse or other family member to take care of you, then your quality of life might be reduced, not to mention the possibility of a lengthier recovery period. In such cases, a PCS caregiver or family members could help you with these things, enabling you to focus on getting better.
If They Are at Risk of Falling
If you’re suffering from general body weakness due to illness, injury, or old age, then your possibility of falling when trying to move around increases tremendously. A personal care service assistant could help you move around, therefore reducing your chances of getting injured.
If They Want to Give Their Spouse or Another Caregiver a Break
At times, having a family member take care of you all the time might feel as if you’re taking advantage of them. In such cases, it would help if you had someone to relieve them so they can go about their lives. PCS caregivers can help take over the long hours and duties of your current caregivers.
If They Need an Escort to Doctor’s Appointments
Getting to a doctor’s appointment can be pretty hectic, especially if you can’t drive yourself. That’s where PCS caregivers come in. They can escort you to and from doctor’s appointments and keep you company when you’re there.
If They Need a Little Encouragement to Get Up and Move Around
Suffering from a major illness or accident can really get you down. At times, you might not feel like getting out of bed. Having someone around to encourage you can go a long way in lifting your spirits. That’s what PCS caregivers are for.
If They Need Incontinence Care
Controlling your bowel and bladder movements can be tough, especially when you’re suffering from a major injury or recovering from certain surgical procedures. It would help if you had someone to help you out when you lose control.
If They Need to Stay in Bed
You might need to stay in bed as you recover from surgery or a severe disease. During this time, you need someone to take care of you. A PCS caregiver can tend to your individual needs, eliminating the need for you to get out of bed and allowing you the rest you need to heal.
If They Can’t Take Care of Themselves
There are tons of reasons that you might be bedridden and unable to take care of yourself. In some cases, your spouse or other close family member takes up the duty of tending to your needs. But, if you don’t have someone to take care of you, then you need to hire a professional.
Ready to Receive the Best Care?
As long as they know what they’re doing, anyone can take care of you. But, for the best care, trained PCS caregivers will help you, regardless of your unique needs.
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