When caring for your elderly loved one, take a moment to stop and look at their house. Do you notice any clutter or other areas of the home that aren’t very clean? After doing that, take some time to talk to your elderly loved one. Do you notice that your elderly loved one seems lonely or more upset than usual? Maybe, your elderly loved one has told you they are depressed. It is important to pay attention to your elderly loved ones’ health and their home. By doing so, you can recognize certain signs that they need more assistance either from you, other family members, friends, or personal care at home providers.
Unhealthy and/or Spoiled Food
You should take some time to look in your elderly loved one’s refrigerator and cupboards. Do they have food that is expired? Maybe, the cans in their pantry are past the expiration date. When you open up the refrigerator, does it smell bad because there is old food in it?
Maybe your elderly loved one doesn’t have old or spoiled food, but they keep buying a bunch of unhealthy food. There could be numerous reasons for that including not wanting to make a meal for just themselves, so they buy a bunch of frozen or processed food instead. They may also buy junk food instead of healthy snacks.
If either of these things are happening, you or personal care at home providers may want to step in and do the grocery shopping and refrigerator cleanouts for your elderly loved one.
Not Going to Appointments
Another sign that an elderly person needs more assistance is that they aren’t going to their appointments. It is crucial that all senior citizens are getting the medical treatments and other medical support they need. If your elderly loved one hasn’t been going to their doctor’s appointments, there could be many reasons for this including:
- Not having transportation
- Forgetting to write down appointment dates
- Forgetting what day their appointment is on or what time it is
If these things are happening, it may be best for you or a personal care at home provider to take your elderly loved one to their appointments from this point forward.
Mobility Issues
Has your elderly loved one been moving slower than usual? Maybe, you notice that they aren’t getting up as much as they were recently. Some common reasons why this happens for senior citizens include:
- Chronic pain
- Balance issues
- Trouble moving around
- Recent injury
If your elderly loved one is experiencing mobility issues, make sure they see a doctor about this. If you can’t get them there, you can have a personal care at home provider drive them to the appointment.
Bringing in Personal Care at Home Services
These are some of the top signs that elderly people need more assistance at home. If you are caring for your elderly loved one and notice these signs, don’t wait any longer to get them the help that is needed. The sooner your elderly loved one gets the help they need, the better it will be for their overall safety and health.
Sources: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-are-signs-aging-parent-needs-help