When Is It Time To Consider In-Home Care?
As people age or their health deteriorates, living at home by themselves becomes difficult. Unfortunately, when this happens to a loved one, you have to decide how to proceed with his or her care. Before you decide to move your loved one into a nursing home or senior housing, you should consider hiring in-home help so that he or she doesn't have to deal with a major life change. But, how do you know when it's time to consider in-home care?
A History of Falls
It's common for elderly people to experience severe injuries from falls, so you should consider hiring an in-home care service if your loved one has fallen before, especially if your loved one has a history that includes multiple falls. You should also consider in-home care if he or she has problems walking, balance issues, problems getting up and down, or problems transferring in and out of bed.
Memory Issues
If your loved one begins to develop memory issues or become confused easily it's time to consider hiring in-home care. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to determine whether or not your loved one is experiencing memory issues, because it's not something that many people want to discuss. If you're unsure, watch for changes in your loved one's personality and/or times that your loved one has trouble concentrating. Both of these traits could indicate that your loved one is having memory issues. Some other things to watch for include:
- Forgetting to take medication or get prescriptions refilled
- Unpaid bills
- Paperwork piling up
- Loss of interest in socializing or activities that were once enjoyed
Appearance
Changes in a person's personal grooming habits or hygiene indicate that in-home care is needed. It's common for elderly people to become frustrated when it becomes more difficult to bathe or dress themselves, so sometimes they just give up. You should be concerned if you notice that your loved one has stopped bathing or changing clothes on a regular basis. Also, weight loss could indicate that your loved one isn't eating properly or frequently enough. This could be because he or she is having trouble preparing meals.
Admitting that you need help to complete normal daily tasks isn't easy, so don't expect your loved one to tell you that in-home care is needed. You have to watch for common signs that indicate that your loved one is having trouble living alone. If you notice changes in your loved one's behavior, appearance, or living conditions, you should talk to an in-home care company like Handle With Care In-Home Care & Assistance as soon as possible.