4 Signs a Senior Needs Help at Home

It is never easy to determine whether your aging loved one needs home care, particularly when they don't want to leave home. A home health aide can help your senior loved one continue to live in their home safely and comfortably. Keep reading to discover four signs a senior needs help at home.

4 Signs a Senior Needs Help at Home

1. They Are Struggling With Daily Tasks

It may be time for your loved one to get a home health aide when they start to struggle with daily tasks. Maybe you've visited your loved one recently and noticed that they haven't vacuumed the floors or cleaned the baseboards lately. Maybe there are baskets full of clean, unfolded laundry in the laundry room. Maybe your loved one has started to buy pre-cut produce and meat because arthritis has made using a knife too difficult.

If you see signs that your aging loved one is struggling with daily tasks, a home care assistant can help them so their home remains a safe, clean environment for them to live in.

2. They Are Struggling With Forgetfulness

It is perfectly normal for seniors to start forgetting things, like where they put their wallet. However, if memory loss gets too bad, forgetfulness can seriously affect a senior's health or financial wellbeing. For instance, if bills aren't set up for autopay, forgetfulness can lead to water or power being shut off. In turn, this leads to interest, late fees, and penalties before the utilities are reconnected.

Forgetfulness can also affect a senior's physical wellbeing, particularly if they forget to take their medication or start to miss appointments with their doctor. If you suspect your loved one is experiencing cognitive decline, start looking for a home care aide who can help your aging loved one with ADLs (activities of daily living). When interviewing potential aides, ask about what type of memory care training they have received to ensure they are a good fit.

3. They Are Struggling With Loneliness

Your aging loved one could also benefit from help at home if they are struggling with loneliness. Research results suggest that loneliness increases stress and blood pressure significantly, increasing the risk of a heart attack, stroke, or transient ischemic attack. In fact, there is evidence to suggest that loneliness is equally as lethal as obesity or nicotine consumption.

Besides increasing blood pressure, loneliness can drive seniors to make unhealthy choices, like eating unhealthy foods and drinking too much alcohol. Your loved one will benefit physically and emotionally from a home care aide if they're not ready to move into an assisted living facility.

4. They Look Different

If you notice a significant change in your loved one's appearance, it may be time to get them help at home. For instance, you may notice that your loved one is wearing wrinkled clothes, has not shaved their face recently, or has shaved poorly. You also may notice that your senior loved one has not bathed recently.

If it appears that your loved one is not completing ADLs successfully, they can benefit significantly from a home health aide. It is also time to seek help from a home health aide if your loved one has lost a significant amount of weight. Seniors with certain medical conditions, like Alzheimer's disease, forget to eat and become malnourished, straining their heart.

If your aging loved one isn't ready to leave home, it may be time to start interviewing home health aides if they struggle to maintain their home or their memory is declining significantly. For more information on in-home care, contact us today at Sarasota Bay Club.