Ask most seniors and they’ll tell you they’d rather age-in-place, that is, continue to live in their own homes as they age. This is easy enough to do when the senior is in good health, active, and capable of maintaining themselves and their home. But health and capability can deteriorate over time.
The senior may not recognize or want to admit that the deterioration is real, so it falls to family and friends to get help when it’s needed. How do you know when home care help might be needed? This article will give you some signs to look for.
What Is Home Care?
You may have heard the term “home care” but not understood what it is. While the broadest interpretation of home care can include medical services, this article focuses on home care as non-medical services provided by a professional. These services help seniors live safer, more independent lives as they age-in-place.
Home care services can include light housekeeping, meal preparation, help with errands, assistance with activities of daily living, medication reminders, and more. A plan for services is tailored to the needs and situation of each senior.
How To Know When It’s Time to Start Home Care
Every situation is different, but here are signs that indicate the need for the services of a home care professional.
Deteriorating Personal Appearance
A change in regular personal hygiene routines is among the most common red flags. Unwashed hair, a noticeable smell of urine or body odor, or looking sloppy after a lifetime of immaculate dressing can indicate it’s time to step in.
Walking That’s Unsteady
If your senior is holding on to furniture or walls as they move through their home, they could be in danger of falling and hurting themselves. A home care professional can provide a steadying hand for walking and climbing stairs, and can watch out for hazards in the home.
Not Safe to Drive
Asking a senior to give up their car keys is not easy. After all, driving is an important source of independence. However, a home care professional can help with errands, appointments, and social events, making the transition easier.
Problems With Regular Chores
Is your senior’s once-tidy house now cluttered and dusty? Are their bills left unpaid? This may mean it’s time for help. Home care can take on light housekeeping, offer reminders, and ensure your senior is safe and comfortable.
Difficulty With Meals
If your senior has lost their interest in cooking or stopped eating regular meals, a home care professional can help with getting to the grocery store, making meal plans, and even cooking.
Your Burn-Out
Have you been a senior’s caregiver, providing all or some of the supports listed here? Are you burned out by these added responsibilities? If that’s the case, a home care professional can take over the most burdensome tasks. You’ll be left with more time as well as the peace-of-mind that comes from knowing your senior is safe and cared for.
Your senior may resist the idea of a home care professional at first. If that’s the case, try making changes gradually. Adding one service at a time can give seniors the time and space they need to adapt to a change. Quite often seniors are delighted with the assistance once they get used to the change.
How Blakeford At Home Can Help
When you need in-home care for seniors in the Nashville area, help is close at hand. Blakeford At Home offers experienced in-home caregivers You can be confident knowing your senior’s care is in skilled hands and provided in a place where they feel the most comfortable – home.
We develop a tailored plan through our thorough process. With this process we:
- Conduct a comprehensive needs assessment
- Develop a care plan outlining specific tasks, frequency, and details
- Select a care team based on the skills needed to provide the service
- Provide training and shadowing by our lead caregiver when needed
- Outfit each caregiver with a mobile app to access the care plan
Each personalized care service plan provides as much care as needed. With more than a decade of local experience serving those who choose to age-in-place, Blakeford At Home customizes its services to the needs of every individual and family we serve. Contact Blakeford at Home for more information.