How to Tell if Your Older Parent Needs In-Home Care

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As the primary caregiver for a senior loved one, one of the most important things you can do is watch out for signs that indicate he or she needs assistance around the house. Seniors often don’t want to admit they need help, and changes can occur so slowly they don’t realize they need assistance. If you notice the following signs, they could signal your loved one needs help from a professional in-home care provider. 

Changes in Activities & Relationships

Getting out of the house, keeping up with hobbies, and meeting with friends and family members may be difficult for your loved one if he or she has health or mobility problems due to aging. If your loved one is having difficulty keeping up with daily routines and favorite activities, it could be a sign he or she needs additional support at home. With help from a professional home caregiver, your loved one can still enjoy these outings and activities with the people he or she loves. 

Elderly home care experts are available to provide high-quality care to seniors on an as-needed basis. From assistance with mobility and exercise to providing transportation to the doctor’s office and social events, there are a variety of ways professional caregivers can help your aging loved one continue to live independently.

Mishandling Finances

As your loved one ages, finances may become challenging to handle alone. Managing finances can be a difficult task for any adult, but it can be particularly tricky for seniors, depending on their memory function and organizational skills. If you notice your loved one has unpaid bills, bounced checks, an improperly balanced checkbook, or peculiar changes in spending habits, these issues may signal a need for home care. 

Increased Forgetfulness

While forgetfulness can be a normal part of aging, it may also be a sign something more serious is going on, and it can serve as an important indicator your loved one is facing difficulty handling ordinary tasks. Repeated issues arising from forgetfulness, such as regularly missing appointments, not refilling prescriptions, and skipping meals, suggest your loved one will benefit from hiring an in-home caregiver. 

Whether your loved one needs help for just a few hours a week or requires more extensive supervision, in-home care may be the answer. Every senior has different needs when aging in place. Some simply need occasional assistance with household chores, while others may be managing serious illnesses and require more extensive live-in care. Huntsville seniors can count on Home Care Assistance to provide the in-home care they need and deserve. 

Difficulty with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)

The activities of daily living (ADLs), such as personal hygiene, dressing, eating, and walking, are among the many tasks in-home caregivers strive to make easier for seniors. If your loved one has difficulty with ADLs, it’s time to look into either live-in or hourly home care. 

When your loved one can no longer manage ADLs, it can be both emotionally taxing and hazardous for his or her health and wellbeing. With help from a dedicated home caregiver, your loved one can live at home in comfort and safety with the vitality to enjoy his or her golden years to the fullest. 

Aging adults who require assistance with the tasks of daily living can benefit from reliable home care service. Huntsville, AL, families trust Home Care Assistance to provide the high-quality care their elderly loved ones need and deserve. Our caregivers are trained to help seniors prevent and manage serious illnesses and encourage them to make healthier decisions as they age. Call us at (256) 716-9940 to create a customized in-home care plan.

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