Do I Need In-Home Care?

Most elderly seniors want to live independent, non-institutionalized lives in the comfort of their own home but often don't realize they cannot do so safely without assistance as their physical and cognitive capabilities diminish. Determining if someone needs in-home care assistance is easier if you know what to look for and the questions to ask. Fearful of losing their independence, aging individuals will often mask or cover-up the signs and symptoms indicating they need assistance. You'll need to ask revealing questions and look for patterns of behavior and neglect within these areas:

Activities of Daily Living

Difficulty walking, dressing, talking, eating, cooking, climbing steps, or managing medications by them self.

Personal Hygiene

Infrequent bathing, unusually sloppy appearance, bad body/mouth odor.

Responsibly Tasks

Unopened mail, unpaid bills, unfilled prescriptions, unreadable checkbook, phone calls aren't returned, low food supply, laundry is piled up, spoiled food in refrigerator.

Health Condition

Weight change, appetite changes, difficulty swallowing, fatigue, burns, bruises, hearing loss, incontinence, spilling or dropping things (look for stains), sleeping too much or too little, dehydration.

Isolation

Lack of interest in friendships, hobbies, or activities; curtains drawn day and night, no access to transportation.

Attitude

Sadness or talk of feelings of depression and despair, abuse of alcohol or drugs, paranoia, refusal to communicate, unusual argumentativeness, verbal abuse.

Cognitive Abilities

Consistent forgetfulness about where things are, getting lost walking or driving, confusion, loss of reasoning skills, difficulty answering questions, inability to find the right word or complete a sentence, repetitive words or phrases, wandering, loss of sense of time or season, forgetting how to use ordinary things like a pencil, consistently forgetting to turn off stove, close windows, or lock doors.

Millions of aging individuals are able to remain living in the comfort of their own home by receiving safe and effective care through professional personal care agencies.

To learn more and find the InHomeCare.com In-Home Caregiver Agencies serving your home, or the home of a loved one, visit InHomeCare.com InHomeCare.com