Does Your Loved One Need In-Home Care? Here Are Five Ways To Tell
Your aging loved one is still insistent on remaining at home, but it’s becoming increasingly difficult for her to maintain all the daily activities without help. You’ve been able to offer some assistance, though your family, work, and other obligations limit the amount of time you can spend caring for your relative.
If you’ve recently noticed some, or all of the following 5 signs in your loved one, it may be time to consider bringing in some in-home help:
Lack of Grooming
If your usually meticulously groomed mom suddenly stops bathing or doing her hair, there could be an underlying issue that needs addressing. A sudden change in grooming habits – bathing, dressing, brushing teeth – could signal an illness or injury that requires medical attention. Or, it could be a sign that your loved one is just becoming unable to fully care for herself and needs some assistance managing the activities of daily living. Either way, grooming changes require your attention.
Driving Issues
Has your loved one gotten into a couple fender-benders or gotten traffic tickets recently? This could signal that your relative shouldn’t be driving and needs assistance with transportation. Aging, illness, or injury can cause vision changes or changes with reaction times that can lead to difficulty driving. If your loved one is having issues, you need to get him checked to see if there’s an underlying medical condition and have a driving evaluation done.
Weight Changes
If your loved one has rapidly gained or lost weight, this could be a sign of a problem that needs addressed. This could signal a medical issue that you’ll need a doctor’s assistance with addressing. However, if your loved one is no longer willing or able to cook proper meals, that could mean he needs the daily help of someone who can ensure he’s receiving correct food.
Social Isolation
Mom, who used to go out to lunch, book club, and to visit neighborhood friends daily, is suddenly sitting at home all day. Though some amount of decreased activity is expected with aging, especially as your loved one’s friends pass away, going from social to shut-in in a short period of time is cause for concern. Maybe she feels unwell, or nervous about driving and doesn’t want to ask for help. Bringing in someone who can help your loved one get to and from social engagements may be the push she needs to get out of the house.
Falls or Injuries
As people age, they become less steady on their feet and can fall more easily. However, falling can be dangerous, as elderly people are more likely to break bones or have a serious injury following a fall. If your loved one has experienced falls or injuries, this could be a sign of an underlying medical issue. Additionally, if your loved one’s falls are because he’s tripping over items in his home, this could be a sign that he’s having difficulty keeping his home clean and decluttered.
Experienced Senior Care Assistants in Frederick & Montgomery Counties, Maryland
If you’re looking for someone who can let Mom or Dad remain at home longer, but give you the peace of mind that your loved one is taken care of, the Personal Care Coaches at Thrive USA Home Care can help. We carefully match each client with the best Personal Care Coach to meet his or her needs and goals, working to provide the best possible outcomes for our care. Call today for your free consultation!
