When an older person needs assistance, family members may try to do it all themselves, which can entail a huge time commitment — and lead to burnout. If they decide to move mom or dad into their home, both sides may resent the loss of independence.
It doesn’t have to be this way. According to AARP, 87% of adults 65+ want to stay in their own home and community as they age, rather than relocate to live with relatives, or move to a senior community.
Home care is the solution, with a trained professional known as a caregiver. The following 8-point checklist will help you decide whether home care is the best next step for your parent or other loved one:
- House in disarray. When you visit your parent, do you notice clutter, garbage, or odors? A normally well-organized senior who starts to let mail pile up, leaves dirty dishes in the sink, and doesn’t take out the trash may be less able to manage independently, due to physical limitations or mental decline.
- Poor hygiene. If someone who has always been fastidious about grooming becomes unkempt, it’s a signal for help.
- Weight changes. A senior may be eating poorly for a number of reasons, from limited funds to lack of interest in cooking for one, to diminished taste buds that make food seem unappetizing, to depression. If your parent starts to lose or gain a lot of weight (from eating junk food), a caregiver who can shop and prepare nutritious meals might be the answer.
- Trouble behind the wheel. Cars equal independence, and most seniors are reluctant to surrender the keys. If their car has more dings and scratches lately, if Mom or Dad has received traffic tickets, or been in an accident, they may no longer be safe to drive.
- Social isolation. Lack of transportation, however, poses its own problems. Seniors who don’t drive, or who have hearing or mobility difficulties, may avoid other people — and loneliness can lead to a decline in mental health. According to an aging in place survey, more than half of non-drivers over age 65 do not leave home most days.
- Frequent falls. Falls can signal a moderate health issue, such as low blood pressure or muscle weakness, or a more serious condition, such as congestive heart failure or an adverse reaction to medication.
- Inability to manage money. A sweet 92-year-old lived alone and had begun “renting” rooms to young people for extra income. In reality, she was developing dementia, and the “renters” were freeloading. The dear lady also gave away her money to unscrupulous callers who told her she had won a sweepstakes. A trained caregiver could help prevent exploitation.
- Medication mix-up. The average adult 65+ takes seven different medications per day, four prescribed and three over-the-counter — and about one in three people will have an adverse reaction that requires a hospital visit.
How Home Care Helps
If you’re experiencing any of the above scenarios, consider contacting a full service home care solution provider. Home care:
- Helps elders maintain their independence. It can mean the difference between aging in place and living one’s last years in a facility. A 96-year-old woman was hospitalized after she fell and broke her hip. When she was able to return home, she hired a full-time caregiver. The caregiver made the difference between staying in her beloved home of sixty years, and having to move into a nursing home.
- Promotes healing. Medical evidence shows that patients recover faster at home. Indeed, the 96-year-old who fractured her hip was walking up and down three flights of stairs again within months, with the aid of her caregiver.
- Keeps families intact, and reduces stress/anxiety/burnout.
- Enables seniors to stay in their beloved home for as long as possible.
