Needing help doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s time to take your aging parents to a care facility. Sometimes it is just as simple as getting someone to help them carry a few errands at home. It is estimated that over half of adult children have helped their parents with house chores.
As the years go by, it gets more difficult for seniors to perform some of the most basic duties such as driving to the store or cleaning the house. The fact that they can’t do some of these duties doesn’t necessarily mean that they want to go to a care home.
Some parents prefer aging in their homes rather than being taken elsewhere. If your parents or parents have chosen to stay at their home, it is upon you to ensure that they live a comfortable life. The best way to ensure that is to hire an in-home caregiver.
But how do you know your aging parent needs extra help?
Here are some of the signs that your aging parent requires extra help:
1. The house is unkempt
There are people who naturally love cleanliness while others don’t bother as much. However, there are typical standards of cleanliness that you would expect anywhere. Having lived with your parents for a long time, there’s no doubt that you know his or her standards of cleanliness.
If you visit your parent’s home and find the house unkempt, that could be a sign that he or she needs extra help. Do not assume anything because sometimes they will not tell you that they need any help. It is upon you to read the situation and take appropriate steps to help them or find someone to do that job.
2. The refrigerator is full of expired foods
It is normal to have a few items that expired recently in the refrigerator. But if you visit and find a majority of foods are not fresh and there is no new stock, then that’s a big sign that your parents need extra help. This could have been because they were not able to go to the grocery or store to buy more food or even the energy to check and remove expired items.
Although it can be a result of a decline in cognitive functioning, a fridge full of expired foods clearly tells you that your parents are not eating. This can eventually cause malnutrition and other health complications. It would be important to hire someone to help him or her with basic errands at home such as cooking.
3. Mismanagement of medication
A lot of seniors in the country are taken to emergency treatment because of complications associated with medication mismanagement.
Recent studies show that more than 30 percent of adults hospitalized each year are drug-related issues. 11 percent of those cases are contributed by lack of adherence or drug mismanagement. If your senior parent is on any medication, it is important to always check if they are taking their medication as expected.
4. Poor personal hygiene
Bathing or taking a shower can prove to be a daunting task as people age. The situation can even be worse if your mom or dad has mobility issues. Lack of personal hygiene can also be an indication of cognitive decline or depression.
5. There is a noticeable loss or gain in weight
If you visit your parents and realize they have suddenly lost or gained weight, it could be because of two reasons. Either they are stressed or not eating properly. You should try to find out why the sudden change and probably hire someone to take care of them.
