It’s always a tough decision. Seniors are adult human beings and have every right to live their lives the way they want. But, sometimes, daily life becomes more challenging and daily tasks become more difficult. When that happens, seniors or their families may need to consider home care. Recognizing the tipping point can be tricky however, so we’d like to offer some suggestions about when to consider home care for seniors.
Signs that Seniors May Need Help
We’re phrasing these as a list of questions to ask yourself, a senior in your life, or your family in order to help you find the answer that’s right for you.
- Is mobility becoming a challenge or an issue? This can take many forms: an unsteady gait, difficulty managing stairs or steps, occasional trouble getting into our out of bed or on and off a toilet. Showers and baths can be particularly treacherous for some people. While we all face occasional mobility challenges due to injury or accident, seniors facing chronic mobility challenges may need to consider home care options.
- Are food, meals, or healthy eating more difficult? We all fall back on snacks or junk food occasionally, but if a senior is having consistent challenges with feeding themselves healthy food, managing meals or cooking, or remembering to eat or drink water, it may be time to consider some home care options in order to help them stay on track with a healthy diet. For seniors: it can be difficult to spot this particular behavior change in ourselves, so check in with family and friends when in doubt.
- Has taking or managing medications become a challenge? This is another “acute vs chronic” moment. We all forget to take needed medications on occasion, but if managing meds is becoming a consistent problem or if the consequences for missing a dose are serious then it may be time to seek outside help in the form of home care. As we get older, medications typically become more important for both our overall health and our daily well being. Forgetting meds can be serious, and a little help managing them may offer the perfect solution.
- Can you/they still drive safely? We live in a car-centric society, and most of us spend our adult lifetimes with automobiles and driving as our primary means of transportation. Many seniors are able to drive safely well into their golden years, but for some of us the time comes when we need to give up our car keys. If driving safely is becoming difficult, it’s time to look at home care as a possible option.
- Are household chores and personal hygiene still doable? Skipping a shower every now and then or leaving some dishes in the sink overnight is one thing. If regular household chores and tasks are falling through the cracks or if personal hygiene tasks like shaving, shower, and brushing teeth are falling behind, there’s an issue. A chronic difficulty taking care of our homes or ourselves is a sign that a home care service may be necessary.
- Is loneliness an issue? This one is a bit more nebulous; we all feel lonely sometimes and that emotion is part of the human experience. However if feelings of loneliness or isolation are a daily occurrence, or if we find ourselves feeling sad or depressed that there’s no one around, we may need to consider some help. A home care service can provide the companionship, conversation, and access to social outlets that make all the difference for a senior.
These are just suggestions, questions to ask to get the ball rolling and the process started. If you’re a senior living alone, we recommend going through them both on your own and then with friends or family. Sometimes an outside viewpoint and extra set of eyes can help us see things we would have otherwise missed. The conversation and decision making process may take a few rounds of discussion and consideration. Home care can feel like a big step, but with the right home care service seniors can get the help they need while still retaining their independence and dignity.
New Estuary Home Care: Quality Home Care Services for Seniors
At New Estuary Home Care, we believe that every senior deserves respectful, professional home care services that are tailored to their particular needs and meet them where they are in life. There’s no template, we know every senior is an individual with unique needs and we develop our care plans accordingly. Home care can feel like a big decision. We hope that the questions we ask above provide you with a starting point for the conversation about home care. If the time is right for in-home senior care, please get in touch and we’ll help you with the rest of the journey.
