Most of the elderly want to stay in their own homes as long as possible, as there are lots of sentiments attached to them. Though everyone ages differently. While one person might be able to live independently until their 80s, another might require in-home care much earlier. However, the majority of senior citizens find it difficult to admit that they require proper home care. This is why it is important for us to recognize the signs of a loved one who is no longer able to live on their own without support. The following are six signs that an elderly parent requires the assistance of a trained home caregiver:
1.Difficulty In Moving Here and There
If you’ve noticed that your parent is having a hard time standing up out of his or her favorite chair or bed, it’s high time to hire in-home help. While this may seem like a minor symptom caused by arthritis or stiff joints, it’s important to keep in mind that if your parents are unable to stand up for themselves without assistance, they could easily become stuck for hours or days.
Ignoring such issues may lead them to difficulty in performing activities of daily living such as bathing and grooming, dressing, toileting, continence, walking and transferring, eating and drinking, etc.
2.Poor Home or Personal Hygiene
If you’ve ever noticed that the trash hasn’t been picked up in days or that your mother’s refrigerator is full of rotting food, you’ve probably noticed that your father no longer showers or shaves.
Although it may seem like simple forgetfulness, keep in mind that your parents may not be eating if they are exhibiting symptoms like these, and that poor household hygiene can put your parents at risk for infections and other unpleasant symptoms.
3.Emotional Changes
A change in mood in both familiar and unfamiliar people may be an indication of pain or struggle with long-term conditions that they don’t need to share but that still need attention and medical counseling.
They may decide to isolate themselves as a way to express their grief over the loss of familiar faces and loved ones. They might make you feel more isolated and result in more serious emotional or mental health issues. This feeling of helplessness may persist and result in the onset of depressive illness or even a suicide attempt.
4.Lost Interest in their Hobbies
When a loved one loses interest in once-enjoyable hobbies, this could be a sign of depression, which is common in aging adults. Those who were active in their adulthood find aging challenging, and may feel very low and depressed when they are unable to participate in their favorite activities. According to research, late-life depression affects 6 million adults age 65 and older, and only about 10 percent receive treatment.
5.Improper medication management
When your parents are getting older, there are certain medications that should be followed properly. However, most elderly people may be unable to follow the prescription exactly as directed. Improper medication management may lead to serious conditions and may require hospitalization in serious cases. The best caregiving services in Los Angeles can handle anything because they have been specially trained to assist the elderly.
6.Cabinets with insufficient supplies
Since the kitchen is the heart of the home, it is a pretty good sign of how an elderly parent is truly doing. Are there used dishes in the sink with crusted food on them? How is the state of their refrigerator? Is it regularly cleaned, or is there dirt and sludge inside?
An elderly parent also needs help with their shopping or cooking. It is very easy to become ill from germs in an untidy kitchen area, so they need to be clean and organized.
Get In-Home Care to Preserve Your Precious Ones’
Through these signs, you might have observed whether your elderly parents need caregiving services or not. If you can’t observe them yet, spend more time with them and examine their behavior. It’s crucial that we, as adult children, learn to look for these signs and recognize the fact that it may be the right time to get some help from caretakers at home.
Generally, the older our parents get, the more difficult it will be for them to engage in regular activities and complete their daily tasks. But it doesn’t have to be that way. It would be our top responsibility to provide them with a good and healthy lifestyle.
If you want to know How Caregivers Make Positive Impacts in Senior Lives, read our previous post, which may clear up any confusion.