Deciding when to start home care for an older family member can be a difficult question, and one that you may find is met with a lot of resistance. However, living alone can become more dangerous to seniors as they age, especially if their motor skills or cognitive functions are declining. Some of the signs that your parent may need help include depression, poor hygiene, financial troubles, or complex medication requirements. Hospitals and public care in Alberta simply don’t have the money to meet the demand, nor can they tailor their services to a family’s needs. Family members have to find a way to fill those gaps, and private home senior care can help. Below are some of the signs you should look out for when you’re wondering whether or not it’s time to get help.
1. Lack of personal or household hygiene
Soiled clothes, dirty dishes, and poor grooming habits are all signs that a senior needs help. They may have difficulty toileting properly or getting dressed, or it may be a sign of depression due to isolation. Memory loss, confusion, depression, and mobility issues can all be at the source of hygiene issues. Fortunately, you can get help in the form of Mavencare home health care in Edmonton.
2. Signs of Depression
Depression in the elderly is a common problem, and too often accompanied by a loss of social support (i.e., from the deaths of spouses, friends, or siblings, or from being relocated). Insomnia or trouble sleeping, neglecting personal and household hygiene, loss of appetite, and more are all warning signs of depression for which you should seek further medical help. If isolation is the issue, spending more time with your aging relative can help. If distance makes it impossible to spend more time visiting your parent on a regular basis, senior care agencies like Mavencare put a strong emphasis on companionship from their personal support workers.
3. Financial Mistakes
Financial issues can often be a sign of cognitive decline: for example, simply forgetting to pay a bill or depositing a pension cheque can quickly turn into a financial headache. Seniors need someone they can trust to help them manage their finances, or they can use increasingly automated deposits and payment plans.
4. Medication Mistakes
Medication mix-ups are one of the leading causes for senior hospitalization. Frequently called “non-compliance,” a senior’s failure to follow their medication schedule is often due more to cognitive decline and the increasing complexity or their medical needs. Part of the job of eldercare workers is to provide medication reminders, guiding your relative through their schedule. You can even stay part of the process: Edmonton’s Mavencare has developed an app that lets families create and check in on medication reminder schedules for their loved ones.
Nine out of every tenEdmonton seniors express a strong desire to remain in their own homes, even if they need assistance to do so. A personal support worker from a reliable agency can make that a reality.