Knowing When to Introduce Extra Care

Caring for your parents

When is the right time to introduce extra care?

 

For an elderly person to admit that they need help, it may feel like accepting that they aren’t able to cope – and no one wants to lose their pride or independence. They may just need some extra help in their home.

Here are some useful questions to determine if your elderly relatives may need some extra care:

Physical appearance

Pay attention to physical appearance. Failure to keep up with daily routines such as bathing, teeth brushing, and good hygiene is a sign that they may be experiencing feelings of depression or have a physical issue preventing them from basic self care.

Home cleanliness

Are the lights working or is the laundry piling up? Is the garden overgrown? These can be clues that things are becoming challenging for your elderly loved one.

Driving

Driving can be difficult for older adults. Confusion whilst driving or risk to personal safety could mean that it is time to stop driving.

Loss of weight

Losing weight without trying could be another sign that something is wrong. Weight loss could be related to many factors, including difficulty with cooking, loss of taste or smell or perhaps the signal of an underlying condition such as malnutrition, dementia, or depression.

Social withdrawal

It’s important to have a chat about activities. Are they connecting with friends? Have they maintained interest in hobbies and other daily activities? Are they involved in organizations or clubs? Or have the circumstances changed and their need for companionship needs to be met in a new way.

Here are just a few of the services that might help with some of the issues outlined above:

  • Personal Care – including help with bathing, grooming, dressing, eating, and bedtime routines.
  • Home Help – support with light housekeeping, washing, meal preparation, making beds and more.
  • Companionship – many of our clients are simply looking for company and friendship.
  • For all of our services, click here.

If you are interested in arranging home help for a loved one, get in touch to discuss your needs further.

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