Our family has worked with hundreds of families throughout Newport Beach, Laguna, and surrounding Orange County communities providing caregivers, care management, and support for loved ones and their families. We understand all of the nuance and thought and sensitivity that goes into the decision to work with us and our team of caregivers. Why choose in-home care? What are the benefits? Here are nine reasons to choose in-home care for a loved one.

1. In-home Care Is Safe

Coral Tree’s caregivers are kind, experienced, carefully screened, and covered by our liability and workers’ compensation insurances. As a small agency, we get to know everyone who works with us personally. Many of our caregivers have worked with us since we started Coral Tree in 2010 and have decades of experience caring for older adults. Our caregivers understand the inclinations and sensitivities of older adults: providing care for seniors is their profession and life’s work. Cassidy and Megan also oversee all of our client care, liaise with families, and make regular visits to our clients to ensure they are receiving the best possible care, as well as that our caregivers have any additional support they might need in caring for your loved one.

“They anticipated our family’s needs so calmly and completely at a time when we were confronted with unchartered territory concerning finding the right in home care help for our precious Mother,” said a daughter of one of our clients. “They taught my sister and me everything about how to structure the best care plan for her. They were knowledgeable and flexible and sensitive.” (You can read Lisa’s kind words about the care we provided her mom, Doreen, here.)

2. In-home Care Is Personal

We provide a high level of personalized care and get to know our clients and their families well. We understand what a huge step it is be able to accept help and to invite people who aren’t your family into your home. We’re here to help each step of the way.

“When you get to the point where you need in-home care it can be very scary,” said the granddaughter of one of our clients. “The team at Coral Tree not only eased the pain of what we were dealing with emotionally, but more importantly became part of our FAMILY… My grandmother emphatically used to say she didn’t know what she would do with out her ‘best friend.’ I could not recommend a better company to take care of our loved ones.”

3. Nine out of 10 Older Adults Would Prefer to Receive Extended Care at Home

Did you know that nine out of 10 older adults say they would prefer to receive extended care in the familiarity and comfort of their own home? According to a 2014 Merrill Lynch study, the emotional importance and significance of one’s home increases as we age. “Prior to age 55, more homeowners say the financial value of their home outweighs its emotional value. As people age, however, they are far more likely to say their home’s emotional value is far more important than its financial value.” Said one focus group participant: “Our home is everything we put into our house materially and emotionally over the years. It’s us.”

4. In-home Care Supports Loved Ones with Dementia & Alzheimer’s

Being able to receive care at home, in the comfort of familiar things, sounds, smells, and routines can help ease the stress and anxiety of a dementia or Alzheimer’s diagnosis. It’s even said that being at home, where you have memories and associations, can help impede the progress of the disease.

5. Moving Is Stressful

Moving is stressful at any age –– research suggests that moving is even more stressful than divorce! –– but moving is especially stressful for older adults, and can result in Relocation Stress Syndrome or “transfer trauma.” Transfer trauma can sadly lead to a dramatic decline in mental and physical health. Older adults with memory loss are particularly susceptible.

6. In-home Care Is Flexible

As your loved one’s health and personal care needs change, you can always increase or decrease the amount of care. We offer shorter hours, as well as longer hours up to 24-hour and live-in care.

7. In-home Care Is One-to-one Care

As opposed to assisted living or board and care facilities that have just a handful of staff overseeing the myriad needs of all residents, in-home care allows your loved one to have one-to-one person-centered care: one caregiver dedicated solely to your loved one’s well-being, supporting them in their activities of daily living and routines, and caring for their personal needs.

8. In-home Care Allows for Greater Freedom & Independence

In-home care allows your loved one the greatest sense of freedom and independence. Changing bodies and cognitive struggles can lead to intense physical and psychological stress in older adults. Accepting care in our later years is challenging in our culture – so much of our identity is tied up in an unrealistic notion of independence; and a sense of losing one’s independence is often an intense additional psychological burden for senior to bear. But being able to receive care in the comfort and privacy of one’s own home can help soften the challenges of aging. In-home care allows your loved one to continue their own personal daily routines, personal meal and medication schedules, and personal hobbies on their time, in their way. Psychologically this provides an invaluable sense of independence and continued control over one’s life.

9. In-home Care Promotes Healing & Well-being

Research has shown that we heal more quickly and comfortably at home. Seniors who live at home – even those needing help with personal care and dealing with chronic conditions – report greater life satisfaction. Patients who receive in-home care are also less likely to be re-hospitalized.