Many of us traveled home for the holidays to visit Mom and Dad. This time spent together comes once a year and is a special time, filled with holiday excitement and cheer. But, did you notice signs that something may be slightly off?
Here's a starting point for evaluating what you're seeing:
- Changed eating habits, resulting in losing weight, having no appetite, or missing meals.
- Neglected personal hygiene, including wearing dirty clothes and having body odor, bad breath, neglected nails and teeth, or sores on the skin.
- Neglected their home, with a noticeable change in cleanliness and sanitation.
- Exhibited inappropriate behavior, such as being unusually loud, quiet, paranoid, or agitated, or making phone calls at all hours.
- Changed relationship patterns, causing friends and neighbors to express concerns.
- Decreased or stopped participating in activities that were once important to them, such as bridge or a book club, dining with friends, or attending religious services.
- Exhibited forgetfulness, resulting in unopened mail, piling of newspapers, not filling their prescriptions, or missing appointments.
- Mishandled finances, such as not paying bills, losing money, paying bills twice or more, or hiding money. Made unusual purchases, such as buying more than one subscription to the same magazine, entering an unusually large number of contests, or increasing purchases from television advertisements.
Now What?
We all want our parents to remain in their home for as long as possible, and most people feel this way. In fact, 89% of seniors say the ability to age in place – or live independently and remain in one’s home – is very important, but more than half of those surveyed (53%) are concerned with their ability to do so.
If a large distance separates you from your aging loved one, or if you don’t have the chance to spend time with them as often as you’d like, hiring an in-home caregiver can ensure that they receive the daily care they need. A little extra help with housework, cooking and errands may be all that the senior in your life needs, or they could need a more intensive care plan that includes personal care. Whatever the needs,
Home Helpers can provide solutions to keeping your loved one happy, healthy and at home. Call us today. We'll be happy to talk work with you through these challenges.
Bringing useful news to educate our clients is one more way that Home Helpers
has been making life easier for over a decade. Call us today at 704-909-7958. And as always, you can find us on our website, Facebook and Google+!
