Several years ago, my grandmother nearly died in her apartment because her blood sugar levels dropped to dangerous levels. She had been living alone for more than two decades since my grandfather had died suddenly, and she loved her freedom. But because this was not the first time this had happened, the decision was made to place her in a nursing home. Unfortunately, this is the only choice many families have when it comes to caring for the elderly.

Thankfully, there is an alternative that could now allow for more senior home care. By offering room and board, you could find companions for the elderly relatives in your family. Imagine having someone at the house with your parent or grandparent to make sure they eat a good meal, take their medication, have someone to contact medical personnel in case of an emergency or a fall. This kind of companion help can provide many positive outcomes:

• Your elderly relative can stay at home longer and doesn't have to give up their independence
• Your family can have greater peace of mind knowing your loved one has reliable senior home care
• Your loved one's care companions can learn and grow by interacting and developing a friendship with someone older and more experienced in the world
• You will be helping someone else who needs a place to stay and food to eat, possibly because they are a struggling student, recently unemployed, or new to the area looking ot get settled

When my grandmother had to move into the nursing home, she was devastated. Most of her belonging had to be sold. She became confided to a bed in a small room for at least 20 hours every day. If we had known how to become a host home or how to find care companions for her, we might have been able to prolong that day and given her a few more great years in her own apartment.

More people and their relatives could benefit by looking into this type of an option for the ones they love the most.