Caring for your aging parent can be a difficult responsibility. Knowing if and when your parent needs care is not always clear. Parenting care is not any easy process but the following list of warning signs can help you determine if it's time for some help.
1. Poor grooming/hygiene- clothing soiled or changed less often, bathes less frequently.
2. Changes in judgment and concentration
3. Changes in memory-more forgetful or confused
4. Decrease socialization with friends and family
5. Loss of interest in activities that were once enjoyed
6. Decrease in home maintenance-poor housekeeping
7. Decrease in energy level/increase in fatigue
8. Changes to personality-withdrawn, sudden mood changes or irritability
9. Mishandled finances-past due bills, unopened mail
10. Changes in eating habits or a loss of appetite-outdated food in refrigerator
11. Changes to mobility-recent falls, unsteady, difficulty walking
12. Decrease in driving skills-recent accidents/near accidents
13. Medication mistakes-skips medications, over-medicates
If you notice these or other significant changes to your aging parent's status, it may be time to seek assistance. You may opt to seek the assistance of a home care agency to assist your parent, or you may investigate assisted living and adult day care centers. You can seek the assistance of your local office on aging to refer you to appropriate senior providers. Another option is to hire a certified senior care manager. Care managers are specialize in senior care services. Lastly, you may opt to utilize the services of an online review site. Online review sites provide reviews of services in your local area in order for you to make an informed decision about your parent's care.
Patty Adams is the Marketing Officer of CareGrade. CareGrade is a free, web based referral service for families searching for senior care services such as home care or assisted living. For more information, go to caregrade.com caregrade.com or call 856-273-9980
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