As people age, it becomes more difficult for them to admit their need for assistance and to accept it. Then, how will you know when your elderly parent needs assistance at home? Mom and Dad certainly won’t be the ones who tell you!
Elderly have strong desire to maintain their independence and keep command of their own life for as long as feasible. An elderly person would typically downplay or conceal any problems they are having until an accident or a sudden decline in their health makes it obvious that they need help. An unexpected hospitalization or fall of elderly causes stress to their adult children as they often unable to engage in making care decisions before a crisis occurs.
One way to avoid being caught off-guard is to start frequently checking your parents’ physical and mental capacities (preferably in person), encourage proper legal and financial planning, and look into long-term care choices. By doing this, you’ll be sure to be ready if your parents start to exhibit signs of needing assistance.
Signs of an Elderly Needs Help at Home
Look for these common signs that an elderly may need help at home or an increased level of care.
Difficulty Performing Activities of Daily Living
- Bathing and grooming
- Dressing
- Toileting
- Continence
- Walking and transferring (e.g. moving from the bed to a chair)
- Eating and drinking
Changes in Physical Function and Appearance
- A substantial loss of weight brought on by poor diet, as well as difficulty cooking, eating, grocery shopping, etc.
- Wearing filthy clothes or dressing incorrectly for the season or weather due to dressing difficulties.
- Unpleasant body odor and poor personal hygiene as a result of infrequent bathing or showering.
- Unkempt hair, untrimmed nails or poor dental hygiene shows a noteworthy reduction in grooming practices and personal care.
- Bruises, cuts or other physical scars that could be a sign of falls or changes in mobility.
- Burns that are obvious on the skin could be a sign that an elderly person is having trouble in cooking.
Changes in Behavior and Mental Status
- Lack of motivation or desire
- Loss of enthusiasm for hobbies and activities
- Difficulty in keeping track of time
- Failure to return phone calls to friends and family members
- Severe mood swings or mood changes
- Increased agitation
- Physically or verbally aggressive actions
- Alterations in sleep habits, such as insomnia or daytime sleepiness
Neglecting Household Responsibilities
- Unable to complete instrumental ADLs independently
- Changes in cleanliness and organization of the home
- Extreme muddle or evidence of hoarding
- Stacks of unread mail, notices of late payment or bounced checks
- Unpaid bills, collector calls or the interruption of services
- Spoiled food that is not discarded
- Little to no fresh, nutritious food or an overall insufficiency of food
- Wet or stained furniture or carpet
- A urine stench in the house that can be a sign of incontinence
- Burn marks on cookware or appliances could be an indicator that food was cooked or reheated while unattended
- Failure to maintain outdoor areas with landscaping, garbage collection, etc.
- Indicators of risky driving, such as car damages and scratches
- Unfilled prescriptions
Changes in Cognition, Memory and Judgement
- Forgetfulness, such as forgetting to take prescriptions or taking them in the wrong dosage, missing appointments or losing things.
- Increased uncertainty
- Loss of capacity for reason
- Consistently making poor decisions (such as falling for sales pitches or giving away money)
- Difficulty carrying out routine duties
- Getting lost frequently when driving or walking
- Repetitions in speech
- Unable to finish sentences
- Impaired ability to find words
- Personality or behavior changes
- Poor personal hygiene and/or wearing the same clothes repeatedly
- Unable to remember names of familiar people, objects or locations
Hiring a Maid for Aging Parents
If your beloved elderly show any of the above signs, the next step is to talk with them about their changing and care needs. To ensure everyone is on the same page and prevent surprises, it’s best to have early conversations about the future with elderly parents. Broach the topic politely and in such a way that will enable them to take part in determining the underlying issue(s) and developing solutions.
Remember that these warning signs don’t always indicate that a move to assisted living or a nursing home is a must. However, their presence does suggest the necessity for some kind of daily supportive care. You may consider to hire a maid to help you to take care of them. Help Is Here can help to match a maid that is suitable for your needs and has experience in taking care of elderly. Contact us for more information.