Often, seniors don’t want to admit when they need help in their homes. However, the aging process can make a person’s daily routine much more difficult due to a lack of mobility and failing cognitive processes. If you have an aging loved one, you likely don’t want to overstep, but you also want to get the senior in your life help when necessary. Often, that will include home healthcare.
Signs That They Need More Help
While it’s often unlikely that your loved one will ask for help, there are signs you can watch out for that tell you they may need some assistance. If you notice any of these signs, you should sit down with them and have a discussion about what is going on and what your next steps should be.
Poor Hygiene
Due to mobility or memory issues, seniors may struggle to shower regularly, change clothes regularly, and do laundry. If you notice that a senior’s home isn’t kept as well as once before or they have an odor these days, it could be time to hire someone to help with basic chores and hygiene. They can also drive to the store to pick up cleaning products and hygiene products someone who can’t drive might not be able to get.
Unexplained Injuries
Mobility and balance problems can result in injuries. These can range from simple bruises or scrapes to broken bones. Most seniors don’t want to admit when they have small accidents. They probably don’t think the accident deserves attention and don’t want to worry anyone. However, one wrong fall could result in broken bones. If they don’t have a way to contact someone, they could be stuck where they fell for hours or days.
If you notice scrapes and bruises, ask the senior what happened in private. Explain to them that a caretaker can help them and can call for medical attention in the case a bigger accident happens.
Weight Change
Seniors need to focus on a healthy diet to increase mobility and stay spry. However, cooking, eating, and washing dishes requires a lot of effort. Some seniors will eat poorly out of convenience or will not eat much at all to avoid trouble. You can hire someone to cook healthy meals and give you a third party opinion about their eating habits.
Loneliness
Many seniors get lonely, especially widows and widowers. You may do the best you can to visit regularly, but you can only visit so many times in a week. A caretaker can supply social engagement for the senior, even for seniors who don’t necessarily need a lot of help around the house. They can also help seniors get to community events.
Health Issues
Most people will develop some health problems as they age, and the problems tend to get worse instead of better at a certain point. Seniors may not fully understand doctors and medication or their own limitations. Home healthcare can make sure that a senior takes their medication properly and has someone available in the case of a complication.
Benefits of Home Healthcare
It’s everyone’s dream that they will be able to retain their independence and a reasonable level of health as they reach their advanced years, and while some people may achieve this objective, it’s unfortunate that many will not. If you have an elderly parent who is in this position, you may be wondering how you can look after them so that they are not just as safe as possible, but relatively happy as well. A popular choice is home healthcare.
Ideal Situation
Of course, much will depend on the level of their disability, as sometimes it’s not possible to maintain any level of independence. This is the case with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, which are unfortunately becoming ever more prevalent. However, in most cases it would be better to allow your parent to remain within their own home and to bring in some external help at strategic times.
Retaining Familiarity
It’s likely that they have lived in the area for quite a long time and, in doing so, will have built up some great relationships with neighbours and friends. Also, the building that they’re living in will be very familiar, with everything in its proper place. This by itself can make older people a lot more comfortable than if they should have to move to an unfamiliar space. Don’t underestimate the comfort factor, as this can be an uplifting tonic for them every day.
Maintaining Independence
Ideally, they will be able to complete a variety of different and manageable tasks each day, which will help them enjoy their feeling of independence, while a care worker from a company can be brought in for more practical and difficult tasks like housework or shopping.
Developing a Relationship
The worker can also become a cherished part of the individual’s life, and a firm friendship can develop. This can augment the input of neighbours and friends, as they all work together to provide meaning, variety and love to the individual’s daily life. When older people can interact with others regularly, it helps to prevent some of the more common feelings associated with social exclusion or loneliness.
Training and Experience
Of course, every person is different and needs a specific level of care, and care workers are specially trained to cope in a variety of situations. Make sure that you talk with an experienced agency first so that you can set up a routine that will be comforting, helpful, and valued to your elderly relative.
Talk to your loved one before hiring home healthcare services. For seniors who push back, find a compromise that makes both of you comfortable. Then you can find a company and health care specialist that you and the senior agree upon.
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