🧓 Who Are Immobile Elderly Patients?
Elderly individuals may become immobile or bedridden due to:
- Stroke
- Advanced arthritis
- Dementia or Alzheimer’s
- Hip fractures or post-surgery
- Paralysis
- End-of-life illnesses
- Neurological decline (e.g., Parkinson’s, ALS)
Such patients need round-the-clock help to stay clean, safe, comfortable, and medically stable.
👩⚕️ Difference Between Nurse and Attendant
| Role | Key Responsibilities |
|---|---|
| Trained Nurse (ANM/GNM/BSc) | Medical support: catheter care, dressing wounds, injections, oxygen monitoring, tracheostomy care |
| General Attendant (Caregiver) | Non-medical tasks: bathing, diaper change, feeding, turning, cleaning, companionship, exercise help |
Many families combine both for complete care:
- A nurse for 2–4 hours/day or 12-hour shifts
- A caregiver (attendant) for 24×7 stay-in support
💡 Core Services Provided at Home
👨⚕️ Medical Tasks (by Nurse):
- Catheter insertion/cleaning
- Bedsore dressing
- IV/IM injection administration
- Oxygen level check
- Feeding via NG/PEG tube
- Vitals monitoring and reporting
🧍♀️ Daily Care Tasks (by Attendant):
- Bed bath or sponge bath
- Adult diaper change
- Positioning to prevent bedsores
- Meal preparation and feeding
- Light housekeeping
- Basic physio/mobility exercises
- Emotional support and companionship
🏠 Benefits of Home-Based Elder Care
- Comfortable recovery or routine at home
- Reduced hospital infection risk
- Emotional support through companionship
- Family peace of mind (especially for NRIs)
- 24×7 monitoring of emergencies or decline
📍 Leading Nurse & Attendant Providers in Tamil Nadu
| Agency Name | Locations Covered | Contact Details |
|---|---|---|
| Anbu Sri Sai Home Nursing | Salem, Coimbatore, Karur | 📞 78715 31777 / 91597 66477 |
| Inhouse Medicare | Coimbatore, Erode | 🌐 inhousemedicare.com 📞 70944 03384 |
| Sakthi Home Nursing Services | TN-wide (Trichy, Madurai) | 📞 99527 95188 |
| Nightingales Home Health | Chennai | 📞 1800 103 4530 |
| GetzInfoz Home Care | Trichy, Salem, Tirunelveli | 🌐 getzinfoz.com |
💰 Estimated Cost (2025)
| Service Type | Typical Monthly Rate |
|---|---|
| 12-hr Nurse (medical) | ₹15,000 – ₹22,000/month |
| 12-hr Attendant (non-medical) | ₹12,000 – ₹16,000/month |
| 24×7 Live-in Attendant | ₹20,000 – ₹30,000/month |
| Bed sore management visit | ₹500 – ₹800/visit (if separate) |
Rates vary based on city, skill level, language preference (Tamil-speaking), and full-time stay-in options.
🛏️ Equipment Usually Needed at Home
- Hospital bed (manual or electric)
- Anti-bedsore air mattress
- Wheelchair or walker
- Adult diapers (regular supply)
- Suction/O2 machine (if needed)
- Urine catheter kit
- Bedside commode chair
✅ When to Hire a Nurse vs Attendant?
| Situation | Recommended Choice |
|---|---|
| Post-surgery or ICU discharge | Nurse + Attendant |
| Dementia or paralysis | 24×7 Caregiver |
| Tracheostomy/NG tube/O2 patient | Trained Nurse |
| Lonely but stable senior | Companion Attendant |
| Hospice/end-of-life stage | Palliative Nurse + Attendant |