Home care for seniors promotes independence.“I do NOT need to move to a nursing home!” This is an all too common sentiment stated by many seniors, even as they are starting to have difficulties managing in the home on their own. And who is going to fault them? Home is where older adults typically feel safe and secure. They know where everything is located and they also enjoy having their own specific routines. They possibly have friends and relatives who live close by, who boost their quality of life. Nevertheless, if you have concerns regarding your senior loved one’s ability to continue living safely at home, it could be time to evaluate the most beneficial solution.
The questions listed below, courtesy of the Waukesha county home care managers at Stowell Associates, will help you determine whether your senior loved one is as safe as possible, or if she or he could benefit from some additional help:
Losing Weight
- Has your senior loved one lost weight unintentionally within the last several months?
- Is she able to take care of purchasing groceries and planning and preparing meals?
- Does she prepare meals safely, remembering to turn off the oven or stove?
- Does she complain about the taste of food?
- Is she drinking adequate quantities of water along with other fluids throughout the day to prevent dehydration, especially during the hot summer months?
Personal Hygiene
- Is your senior loved one properly keeping up her hygiene?
- Can she attend to her laundry, bathing, grooming, and toileting needs adequately?
Medications
- Does your loved one take medications?
- Does she remember to take them precisely when and as prescribed?
- Can she read and understand labels, and can she determine what each medicine is for?
- Is she physically able to swallow pills, or otherwise use them as recommended (for example, creams, drops, etc.)?
Safety
- Is the house clear of clutter, which is often a trip and fall hazard?
- Could your loved one call for assistance if she happened to fall?
- Are there grab bars in the shower/bath, and are banisters and handrails on stairways attached securely?
- Is there plenty of lighting to allow her to safely get up in the middle of the night to visit the bathroom or kitchen?
- Have you noticed any cuts, bruises, scrapes, or burns that may have been caused by a fall or another unexplained circumstance?
- Is the kitchen clean enough to adequately and safely prepare food?
- Is your senior loved one taking multiple medications from several different doctors and/or does she use multiple pharmacies?
Emotional, Psychological and Cognitive
- Does your senior loved one seem to be depressed or anxious?
- Is she remaining social whenever possible, either in person or via the internet or by phone?
- If she is religious, is she continuing to attend services or programs available to her?
- Is she continuing to enjoy hobbies that interested her before?
- Is she forgetful? Abnormally loud or distressed?
- Are her finances in order?
These questions might seem daunting initially, but senior home care and care management services like those offered by Stowell Associates can help you. Our knowledgeable home care managers can assess your senior loved one’s situation and offer recommendations and solutions, providing you and your loved one peace of mind. Our expertly trained in-home care staff can provide companionship, perform light housekeeping tasks, prepare nutritious meals, and so much more. We can even coordinate services between a variety of health care providers.
Contact us at 414.963.2600 in Milwaukee, and at 262.521.3016 in Waukesha to schedule an in-home assessment, and find out how our expert care managers can help your senior loved one age with grace in the comfort of home.
