How To Determine if a Senior Needs Help
Eric Klein CSA, CPRS, BCPA, DCS
Care Patrol - Helping Families & Discharge Planners Navigate the Senior Living Process "Helping one person might not change the world, but it could change the world for one person."
Most of us want to remain independent and maintain control over our lives and our decision making process. Many older adults tend to hide issues or downplay the problems they are having out of fear of losing that independence and control.??Few of us like to ask for help. Even fewer of us are willing to accept it.?
I work with seniors and their families every day to help them navigate the senior living process. One thing I see repeatedly is that mom and dad are not very likely to ask for help.??As adult kids, it often becomes our responsibility to monitor our parents physical condition and cognitive abilities and to recognize the warning signs of needing help.
If your instinct is telling you that mom and dad are struggling, look for these common indicators that it may be time to reach out for help.
Is there a change in judgement, memory or cognitive function?
? Increased confusion
? Constant repetition
? Inability to find the correct words or names or complete sentences
? Personality and behavioral changes
Do you notice changes in appearance?
? Wearing the same or dirty clothes
? Bruising or burns
? Poor hygiene or urine smell
? Losing weight
Has personality or behaviors changed?
? Verbal or physical aggression
? Agitation and confusion
? Days and nights reversed, not sleeping, can’t keep track of time
? Lethargic
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Struggling with the activities of daily living:
? Bathing
? Grooming
? Dressing
? Toileting
? Eating
Can’t manage household responsibilities:
? Unopened mail, unpaid bills
? Spoiled food
? Burn marks on pots and pans
? Unfilled prescriptions, missed doctor appointments
? Neglected landscaping and snow removal
? Unsafe driving or damage to vehicles
??Hoarding
These common indicators do not mean that mom or dad needs to “move into a nursing home.” They do indicate that some type of supportive care is needed. The care may range from family support to in-home care, independent senior living, assisted living or memory care.?
At CarePatrol, our job is the help you navigate these situations and to find the care solution best suited for your needs.??We understand what you are going through, and no one is better at helping seniors and their families deal with the realities of aging than CarePatrol.??If you need help finding care for a senior, please give us a call.??Our services are free, and we are here to help.??
You can reach Eric Klein, CSA, CPRS at [email protected]