When — And How — to Ask For Help at Home
By JCA on April 9, 2025
By Margaret Foster for the Beacon
Most people want to stay in their own homes as they age: Nearly 80% of older adults say they prefer to age in place, according to AARP.
But when cooking, yardwork, and stairs become too much trouble, who do you ask for help?
Dozens of home healthcare companies exist in our area, and in a matter of hours, they can send someone to your house to help make meals, shop, run errands, do light cleaning and laundry, bathe, walk, or get you to doctor’s appointments.
Many families start with just a few hours of help per week, according to Tom Smith, Regional Manager of Family & Nursing Care, which has been serving Marylanders since 1968.
“A lot of times they start with a couple of hours, a couple of days a week, just to get used to the idea of having someone in their home,” Smith said. “The hope is that it’s the same caregiver, and they become friends.”
Here’s how it works: The agency sends a case manager to the home to meet the client and their family. Then, depending on the family’s needs, the client is matched with either a registered nurse or caregiver. All the while, the case manager keeps track of the older adult’s changing needs.
Some clients are surprised by how much they appreciate the extra help around the house, Smith said. They tell the company, “This has actually been life-changing. I would like someone here every day to make dinner and help me get ready for bed,” Smith said.
They don’t even have to provide a to-do list for the caregiver, he said.