When you or anyone wants to remain in their own home, but need assistance with certain tasks, in-home services can help.

Purchasing in-home services to help cope with declining abilities is an option many choose. For a fee, skilled workers can cut the grass, clean the house, cook meals, do the laundry, go shopping, and even provide personal care or skilled nursing care. This may be the option for you, depending on how much help you or the person you care for needs. While in-home services cost money and will require some management and coordination, they are generally less expensive than housing with services, “assisted living,” or nursing home options. Social service agencies can assist you in finding and managing the help that’s needed.

Services and prices for in-home help vary, so be sure to check with several providers or with your local social service agency for helpful information. In-home and supportive services can include:

Homemaking Services: Light housekeeping, meal preparation, laundry, and shopping can be provided. Homemaking service providers in Minnesota are registered with the State Department of Health. Cleaning companies also provide housekeeping, usually for an hourly fee and with minimum hours.

Transportation: Check for door-to-door transportation systems serving the area. Escort services are sometimes available to accompany older adults and can help with transportation and shopping, carrying bundles, and the like. Some hospitals, clinics, or health care providers may have transportation available, as may senior centers. Private transportation services may also be available in your community. Check with each provider for rules, fees, and regulations.

Meals: Meal options include those served in a congregate setting at some local meal sites, communities offering in-home dining through Meals On Wheels, and other programs.

Respite Care: In-home respite care provides temporary care and supervision of a senior so primary caregivers can take some personal time off. Providers are specifically trained to care for the needs of seniors. Out-of-home respite care may be offered by a hospital, nursing care facility, or other community organizations. Adult day services provide recreational programs, hot meals and/or snacks, and social activities for seniors. Some facilities provide health care or health monitoring, medication administration, and specialized care for people with memory loss.

Home Health Care: Home health aides can help with dressing, bathing, toileting, and other personal care tasks under the supervision of a registered nurse. Home nursing care can include monitoring of health and wound care or help with administering medications. Therapeutic care can include speech, occupational, and physical therapies and is available from certified home health care agencies.

Safety: Personal emergency response systems allow seniors to call for help in an emergency using a signaling device worn on the wrist or neck. Home security systems can be installed by private companies and can alert fire or police. Telephone reassurance programs offered by some hospitals or nonprofits can have a volunteer call a senior daily to check on their well being, or have a senior call in at a specific time daily. The Vial of Life container holds emergency information forms and can be kept in the senior’s refrigerator with a sticker on the door to alert emergency personnel.

Other Services: Energy assistance can help qualified seniors pay for heating or repairing heating-related fixtures. Parish nurse programs, a combination of ministry and nursing, can provide health education and spiritual maturity to promote wellness of body, mind, and spirit. Bill-paying services are available through some social service agencies, banks, or other money-management services. Seniors can get help with medical forms and paperwork, insurance appeals, and other issues. through some social service agencies. Legal assistance may be obtainable through various projects and agencies, and ombudsman services can provide advocacy for seniors when disputes with service providers occur and when education to nursing home residents is needed. An ombudsman can also negotiate with hospitals regarding premature discharges.

Service Coordination or Case Management Services: These services can help a caregiver learn about all service options, make arrangements to get needed services, and monitor and adjust services.

DARTS, the host of this caregiverMN site, provides many of these services to Dakota County, Minnesota, seniors and their families. In other parts of Minnesota, call the Senior Linkage Line at 1-800-333-2433 to find providers near you or your parent. To find assistance elsewhere in the United States, visit the Eldercare Locator, a public service of the U.S. Administration on Aging or call 1-800-677-1116.

This Care Page was adapted from A Key to Choice for Seniors, Open the Door to Services, East Metro Seniors Agenda for Independent Living (SAIL) Project, 161 N. Concord Exchange #450, South St. Paul, MN 55075. Also available on the Minnesota Health and Housing Alliance (MHHA) web site.