The nighttime stretch is often the most vulnerable window for seniors and their families. Hiring a licensed home care agency for overnight care shifts gives loved ones invaluable peace of mind. You’ll know your senior loved one is safe, secure, and tended to – no matter what the nighttime hours hold for them.
Overnight care plans are essential for seniors with mobility issues, medical conditions that affect balance, and those who have Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia-related memory decline. While those who live alone are often the first to request overnight care, it’s also true that spouses and primary family caregivers cannot remain “on guard” 24/7.
Overnight Care Plans & Options
Overnight care plans are personalized to each client. Their needs and goals are assessed during a free home assessment. Our case manager will ask lots of questions and is equally happy to answer any questions you have for us.
Together, we’ll create a customized overnight care plan tailored to the client’s rhythms and needs. Typically, overnight shifts provide any combination of the following:
Physical support and transfers
Simple tasks like sitting up to get a drink of water or going to the bathroom put seniors at risk when nighttime grogginess, medication side-effects, or confusion play a role. Caregivers provide physical support and transfers from bed to the bathroom and back again as needed.
Companionship
Some seniors are night owls. Companionship ensures they remain engaged and connected, preventing them from the agitation, anxiety, and fears nighttime loneliness can trigger. All of the companion services available during the day, such as reading, playing cards, and games, listening to music, or sharing snacks and meals are available overnight.
Comfort and security
Nighttime fogginess and confusion can cause seniors to panic if they lose track of where they are or what time it is. Waking up from nightmares is also a trying experience. Having someone on-hand to provide comfort, reassurance, and calming TLC helps seniors settle safely to sleep again.
Hygiene and incontinence care
Bathing, showering, changing into PJs, and incontinence care before and during the night are also provided as needed.
Overnight care for elderly clients may also include:
- Medication reminders
- Light housekeeping
- Laundry services and linen changes
- Meal preparation
- Evening walks or light exercise
- Fall prevention
All of our overnight care services are offered by an exceptional team of caregivers.
Senior Overnight Caregivers
In addition to carefully screening resumes, qualifications, and employment references, Affordable Senior Home Care performs rigorous background checks on all of our caregivers. Caregivers must maintain a clean DMV record and have a reliable vehicle with current registration and insurance.
Our team takes advantage of continuing education and training to remain up-to-date on the latest senior care research and findings. But, most importantly, caregivers are vetted for their hearts and souls, which is why our agency maintains high ratings and glowing testimonials from clients and families.
Overnight Care For Seniors FAQs
Q: What are signs a senior needs overnight care?
We tell clients that if you’re worried about a senior at night, trust your instincts. They probably need overnight care. More specific signs include when seniors:
- Are being discharged from the hospital or acute care facility
- Have been found lost or wandering the neighborhood at night
- Need medication reminders
- Experience a slip/fall accident at night
- Require continual monitoring for an existing health condition
- Have Alzheimer’s or dementia
- Suffer from depression or anxiety
- Express concern about being alone at night
Overnight care for seniors is also essential when primary caregivers are fatigued and require respite care to recharge.
Q: Are schedules flexible?
Yes. Senior care schedules are always adaptable, scheduled as infrequently as once a week or as regularly as every night. Hours are also flexible, but we do bill in four-hour minimum shifts to support the consistency of our caregivers.
Q: Can we change services/shifts as needed?
Absolutely. Overnight care often branches into part-time for full-time day shifts as clients age. Similarly, can mix-and-match service options as the care plan requires.
