Four Signs That Your Aging Parent Might Need Home Care

Home Care in Hazlet NJ: Four Signs That Your Aging Parent Might Need Home Care

And once we get that first taste of independence, it is hard to let it go. That is why it is so difficult for many seniors to accept that they might need home care in order to keep living in their own home.

It is completely understandable that the last thing that anyone wants is for your aging parent to lose their independence. However, sometimes the dangers of living alone at an advanced age or with growing health problems outweigh one’s wishes to be self-sufficient. This is where home care can help.

Most home care consists of helping the senior with day-to-day tasks like getting dressed, going to the bathroom, or even cooking meals. Home care aides also remind the senior to take their medications on time, and help them if they need assistance moving about the house. It doesn’t have to be a big intrusion: the home care professional is only there to help, not to take over the senior’s life. They will still be in control, and they can still maintain their independence, albeit with a little help from a professional.

Here are some signs to look for if you suspect that it might be time to hire home care help for your senior.

• Forgetting to take medicines – Forgetfulness in general is a sign that the senior might need help, but forgetting to take medications in particular can be a huge problem. If your loved one has been frequently skipping their meds, or taking them more often than they should, because they didn’t remember taking them the first time, it might be time to hire a home care aide to remind them to take the pills when necessary.
• Messiness – As seniors age, they often become less concerned with cleaning the house, or less capable of doing it. Whether this is due to tiredness, confusion, or depression, a messy house is not safe, and dirty floors and messy piles of stuff can lead to falls, which can be deadly. Home care professionals can help to keep the senior’s home tidy, which will make their home much safer.
• Lack of appetite – Loss of appetite can be a sign of many things, such as depression, illness, ill-fitting dentures, or even a side effect of medication. However, good nutrition is paramount to keeping the senior healthy, and if they aren’t keeping up with their meals as they should, they need help to do so. A home care aide can keep track of their meals and make sure that they are getting all the nutrients they need to stay healthy.
• Trouble getting dressed – If your aging parent has advanced arthritis or other conditions that make buttoning buttons and zipping zippers painful or difficult, this is a sign that they might need help in the home. If they can’t get dressed easily, this is usually a sign that they are struggling with other things too. A home care aide can help them with all of these things, which can help the senior to feel better about their appearance.

If your senior is having any of the above problems, it might be time to look into hiring home care. Keep in mind, though, that this is a way to help the senior to live a more comfortable, productive life, not a way to take away their independence. In fact, having help with these simple little things can oftentimes make the senior feel comfortable enough to pursue other hobbies and activities that they weren’t sure they could do before they had assistance!

If you or an aging loved one are considering home care in Hazlet, NJ, please contact the caring staff at Lares Home Care 888-492-3538 or 732-566-1112.

Source:  http://www.parkinsonsresource.org/featured-posts/5-signs-that-your-loved-one-needs-in-home-senior-care/