Here are a few ways home care aides can help older adults stay active and safe in their homes.

1. Assistance With Daily Activities

Trained home care aides can support older adults who are experiencing mobility, strength or cognitive decline in continuing to care for themselves. Activities of daily living, or ADLs, include bathing, dressing, eating, toileting and general mobility.

Depending on the needs of each person, aides provide services such as:

• Helping ensure someone can safely take a shower regularly
• Supporting safe eating by providing food and monitoring to reduce choking risks
• Helping someone with fine-motor skills loss manage buttons or other clothing issues
• Providing necessary support for getting to the bathroom

2. Medication Reminders and Health Monitoring

Generally, home care aides can't administer medication directly. However, they can remind someone to take necessary medications and bring those medicines to the patient when asked to do so. They can also help by reading labels, opening containers or providing water to help someone swallow pills.

Aides can also support loved ones by helping monitor for side effects of medications and generally keeping an eye on health. They might document symptoms for family caregivers or report issues to doctors and nurses.

3. Nutrition Support and Meal Prep

Many home care aides prepare simple meals for older adults or help organize kitchens and pantries to make it easier for individuals to manage their own nutrition. They may handle grocery shopping or take someone to the store to pick out items, and they can help ensure healthy snack options are on hand for better nutrition.

In cases where someone is on a special diet due to a chronic medical condition, an aide can help support them by making appropriate meals or reading labels to help them choose the right foods and drinks.

4. Companionship for Reduced Isolation

Many times, a huge benefit of having a home care aide is that an older adult knows someone will show up for them on a regular basis. Home care aides often spend time conversing with individuals, learning about them and their families. They may play card or board games with older adults, enjoy meals with them or take time just to sit next to them for a while. All of this can reduce the isolation and loneliness that might come with living alone.

5. Light Housekeeping and Support for Home Safety

While home care aides don't generally do full housekeeping or deep cleaning, they often perform lighter duties to help keep a home functional and free of fall or other safety risks. That might include helping with laundry, cleaning up dishes and kitchen surfaces, vacuuming and sweeping and picking up items in walkways.

6. Assistance With Errands and Other Transportation Needs

Home care aides may be able to drive older adults to appointments, social events or stores. They often accompany older adults when shopping, particularly for groceries, and can provide additional support in lifting and carrying items when needed.

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