When someone is ill or declining in health family members become caregivers. It is a role that is lovingly filled, but can be taxing emotionally and physically. Needing help and asking for help when you are in the position is OK. Sometimes changes are so subtle, you don’t realize help is needed. Sometimes it is painfully obvious. You don’t need to wait for a doctor or other healthcare professional to tell you to get help. You can ask for it yourself. Any significant change in a person’s health or care needs is an indicator that more help may be needed.

You can call Yolo Hospice to get information on the healthcare resources that may be available to you. Yolo Hospice will help you identify the kind of help you need and which services might provide that assistance. Yolo Hospice can tell you about resources in the community or increased levels of care you can consider.

There are various types of organizations designed to meet care needs. For your reference, here is a short summary of types of organizations in the community and the types of services they provide.

Home Health
Generally speaking, home health care agencies provide medical treatment to those recovering from an accident, surgery, illness or otherwise requiring temporary health assistance. The patient must be home-bound and must show improvement in their health status as care progresses. Care of the body is the center of the care provided.

In-home Care Giver
An in-home caregiver is usually hired by you, privately, to come into your home and care for someone. The number of hours they are there and their duties are based on your needs and arranged between you and the caregiver. You can find an individual who does this privately or hire someone through a caregiver or nursing agency.

Assisted Living (Board & Care)
Assisted living facilities, sometimes referred to as board and care facilities, are for people needing assistance, but who wish to continue live as independently as possible for as long as possible.  Assisted living facilities are a bridge between living in your home and nursing homes.  If you or your loved one requires constant care or skilled nursing care, an assisted living facility is not for you.

Skilled Nursing Facility
A skilled nursing facility or nursing home is for individuals who can no longer take care of their personal needs or require daily supervision. A skilled nursing facility provides 24-hour medical care for those with illness or who have need of a nurse on a daily basis.

Hospice
Hospice provides comfort care to those with a life-limiting illness and their families until the patient dies or is no longer in need of services. The Yolo Hospice philosophy is to care for the whole person, body, mind and spirit. To do that, Yolo Hospice assigns nurses, social workers, hospice aides, spiritual care counselors, volunteers and bereavement counselors as part of each patient’s routine care. While Yolo Hospice services do not include 24-hour in-home care, they provide access to a nurse on a 24-hour basis for the patient, the family and the doctor. Yolo Hospice also provides care to the patient’s family through social workers, spiritual care counselors, volunteers and a bereavement team.

You can call Yolo Hospice or go on line (www.yolohospice.org) to learn more about hospice. Please call if you have questions or think you may need services. Yolo Hospice will also help you identify what type of help you do need even if that need is not for hospice. You can reach Yolo Hospice at (530) 758-5566.