It is natural for elderly people to want to live at home. It give them a sense of independence and it is comforting to be in their own environment, with their own things, and their family and friends nearby.

Unfortunately, when our loved ones age, they become less capable of caring for themselves and their home. This inability can cause potential health and physical safety concerns.

Often, an adult child’s first response is to become their parent’s primary caregiver. The consequence of this is that the caregiver’s life, their children, career, and activities can suffer. This is especially true as elderly parents become less able to care for themselves.

When an elderly parent begins to need daily or constant care and when the caregiver’s own life begins to suffer, it is time to consider getting assistance from a home health agency.

Here are some signs that it is time to employ a home care service.

Changes in the Elderly Person’s Emotional, Physical, or Mental Condition

• – If your loved one starts to have trouble remembering dates and names or has difficulty understand others
• – If your loved one gets lost easily or accidentally locks themselves in a bathroom or bedroom
• – Your loved one has an accident in the kitchen such as a fall, fire, or injury while cooking
• – If your loved one has mood swings or seems unable to make decisions
• – If your loved one experiences a fall

 
Trouble Caring for Themselves or Their Home

• – If your loved one struggles to do laundry, the services of a home care aide may be needed
• – Your loved one cannot dress themselves without assistance
• – If your loved one struggles to bathe or use the toilet by themselves, the assistance of a CNA can help
• – Your loved one forgets to eat or cannot remember whether or not they took their medication
• – If you notice their home is unkempt, such as not taking out the trash, dirty dishes, and dust.

 
Unable to Complete Activities of Daily Living

• – Consider hiring home care if you loved one forgets to turn off kitchen appliances or leaves water running in the bathroom
• – If your loved one is unable to perform errands like grocery shopping
• – If your loved one is unable to use home appliances they once used easily like the telephone, vacuum, and television

 
A home care agency can provide several levels of service, depending on the needs of you and your elderly loved one. They can provide simple household maintenance such as cleaning and laundry. They can also provide companionship while you are out of the home, meaning the home care aid will not necessarily provide medical assistance but will be in the home to make sure your loved one does not harm herself accidentally. They will be there in case the elderly person needs assistance going to the bathroom or wants to go for a walk around the block. Home care can provide fuller assistance such as medication support, certain types of physical therapy, grooming, and meals.
 

About Guided Living Senior Home Care Guided Living offers home health care services serving Plymouth, MA and the surrounding areas. Our mission is to assist our clients with improving quality of life, encouraging independence within their home and providing first-class care with respect, dignity, compassion and the highest ethical standards. We have incorporated great technology into the company like our FamilyCARES portal that gives families a real time look into their loved one’s care. One of our goals is to build trust and show accountability to clients and their families through transparency. We take care management seriously and each client has a dedicated Registered Nurse Care Manager that will supervise caregivers, perform regular in-home checks, and most importantly be available for clients and families to help navigate through tough questions and uncertainties during difficult times. To speak with a Registered Nurse Care Manager to learn more about our services call 508-927-1213 any time.