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As they grow older, most people want to continue living independently in their own homes. They hope to remain self-sufficient in their familiar surroundings. But all too often certain situations -- a sudden illness, a chronic condition, and the very fact of aging -- affect people's ability to care for themselves and manage their daily living, creating health and safety concerns for their families. Since seniors overwhelmingly prefer to be cared for at home rather than be placed in a nursing home or other facility, their adult children often become their primary caregivers, taking on all the responsibilities that go with keeping up the quality of their parents' lives. But when caring for themselves becomes progressively too difficult, or when the responsibilities of adult children become overwhelming, it is time for both seniors and their families to consider professional home health care.
There are many advantages to receiving health care at home. Seniors remain in their familiar, comfortable environment and don't have their lives disrupted by a move. They also receive the full attention of caregivers who are solely concerned with their particular health needs. Home health care is often less expensive than care in nursing homes or other health care facilities. What's more, the breadth and effectiveness of home health care has been greatly extended by advances in technologies such as home infusion, telemedicine, and the Internet. Treatments that once could only be performed in an institutional setting are now commonplace at home.
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