Senior care options for at-home help, on a budget
(WSPA) – When you have aging parents who want to stay in their home, it can be a struggle to find care that's affordable.
So, 7NEWS Here to Help looked into resources that can ease the burden. While there are many options in the Upstate, this also comes at a time when one key source of free help in the area is now facing its financial crisis.
86-year-old Ginger Bouknight has needed round-the-clock care these last few years, and is grateful to still be in the home she's known for six decades.
'When I came down with Parkinson's and knew that I was going to need some help, we looked into a lot of places and whatnot, but this has been the very best,' Bouknight said.
The Simpsonville grandmother uses the at-home service Upstate Living Water. Her caregivers, Sue and Kim, help with everything from meal prep to bathing.
Owner Keith Hogancamp explained that clients who need less coverage pay a rate of around $25 an hour.
'If it's a 24-7 client, the rate is usually a little bit cheaper because the caregiver is staying there over a longer period of time,' Hogancamp said.
Other Upstate companies that offer at-home care include:
Comfort Keepers
Home Instead
Right at Home
Visiting Angels
You'll find many more at-home providers online, just be sure to read reviews and get recommendations and call and inquire about pricing for the hours and services you need.
Families looking for affordable at-home help can also try reaching out directly to caregivers through resources like Care.com, where you name your needs and hourly wage, and applicants respond.
One other idea is posting jobs at local colleges where students may welcome a job with flexible hours. With these last two options, unlike companies that offer caregivers, you'd be responsible for background checks and home insurance coverage if the caregiver is injured on the job.
Programs of All Inclusive Care for the Elderly, or PACE, is something families might also want to consider. People over age 55 with health problems qualifying them for nursing home care can enroll in the program at PRISMA, which helps them stay at home.
PACE will get them to all of their medical appointments, in essence making PRISMA their Primary Care Provider, their health plan/insurance and covering all things related to medical services.
There is also technology-related help. Jubilee TV, for instance, allows you to monitor and video call your elderly relative right through the TV, plus find them shows to watch, all remotely.
Seniors can also benefit from features on the Apple Watch that alert family if a user has fallen.
As for keeping seniors active, senior centers are a valuable resource and some in the Upstate are free, like the expansive one in Mauldin on Corn Road.
'You do not have to live in the city of Mauldin to come here,' Manager Jeffrey Burris said. He explained the center is funded through municipal and state dollars.
The Mauldin Senior Center offers endless activities from workouts to bingo, bridge, poker, pool and a fan favorite, pickleball. Seniors can also request new activities of their choosing and help organize gatherings at the center.
Many families would benefit from calling the senior center nearest them to see if their membership is also free.
One thing is for sure, there's been an influx of seniors to our area in recent years. Greenville County, alone, now has 88,000, according to the latest American Community Survey. That's more than 30,000 more than 15 years ago, as per the 2010 Census data.
And that's why the local Area Agency on Aging that helps seniors in 6 Upstate counties has expanded its services in recent years, until now. The local agency and the other 9 counterparts throughout South Carolina depend on both state and federal dollars. Director Tim Wolmack said cuts in Washington mean their budget has been slashed by more than half.
'It's heartbreaking to have to tell somebody that may not have any kind of support at home or through family or neighbors that we can't help them bathe or have a home delivery meal sent to them, have their yard mown, have a ramp for them to get in and out of their homes. These funding cuts its a snowball effect,' Wolmack said.
All ten of these agencies in South Carolina, along with their non-profit partners, have been meeting to address how to move forward with the uncertainty of whether the federal funding will be restored.
Now, while the Area Agency on Aging can't take any more clients at this time, it is still a great resource for referrals to low-cost homecare, meal delivery, transportation and adult day care.
Meanwhile, seniors facing financial problems of their own are encouraged to seek out non-profits that can offer some relief.
Donna Smiley and Sharon Berry run two Spartanburg area charities.
Help For Our Elderly provides a store where seniors can take 15 necessities for free each month.
'We try to improve the quality of their life by giving them just the simple basics,' Smiley said.
And CHAIN provides at-home support and resources to relieve family caregivers, along with help like building wheelchair ramps and such.
And while both non-profits are struggling to get their own donations, they do provide some hope for seniors desperate for the type of help that allows them to age in place with dignity.
'If you can stay in your home do, because it's wonderful to still be able to be in your home,' Boucknight said.
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