Admitting the need for help and accepting assistance is not easy for people as they age. The responsibility often falls on family members to recognize the signs that an aging loved one might need support with completing daily living tasks.
How do you know if it is time for in-home care? Here are many of the red flags you should be looking for.
- Difficulty keeping track of time
- Sleeping for most of the day
- Poor diet or weight loss
- Loss of interest in hobbies and activities
- Changes in mood or extreme mood swings
- Difficulty getting up from a seated position
- Difficulty with walking, balance and mobility
- Unexplained bruising or injuries
- Marks or wear on walls, door jams, furniture and other items being used to help with stability while walking through the home
- Uncertainty and confusion when performing once-familiar tasks
- Forgetfulness, including forgetting to take medications or taking incorrect dosages
- Missing important appointments
- Consistent use of poor judgment (e.g. falling for scams or sales pitches, giving away money)
- Changes in Personal Hygiene
- Neglecting Household Responsibilities
- Unpleasant body odor
- Infrequent showering (/Articles/elderly-parents-who-wont-shower-or-change-clothes-133877.htm) or bathing
- A strong smell of urine in the house or on clothing
- Noticeable decline in grooming habits and personal care (e.g. unkempt hair, untrimmed nails, lack of oral care, wearing dirty or
- stained clothing)
- Little or no fresh, healthy food in the fridge
- Dirty house and/or extreme clutter (/Articles/How-Do-I-Get-Dad-to-Move-Out-of-His-Cluttered-Unsafe-Home-133954.htm)
- Dirty laundry piling up
- Stains or wet spots on furniture or carpet
- Spoiled food that doesn’t get thrown away
- Stacks of unopened mail or an overflowing mailbox
- Late payment notices, bounced checks and calls from bill collectors
- Utilities being turned off due to missed payments
- Unexplained dents
If these signs are present, it doesn’t necessarily mean a move to assisted living or a nursing home is required. However, these red flags do indicate that daily supportive care is needed. Home Care One has the professional team needed to assist families during these sometimes difficult transitions. If you or a loved one are in need of support please call us today. 800-781-6004
