Noticing signs of aging or the need for additional help from your senior loved ones can be disheartening and overwhelming. These conversations regarding additional care will most likely come from two scenarios. One is a traumatic event such as a fall or an accident. The second is a recommendation from a medical professional or another trusted individual after observing changes in behaviors.
Signs of Needing Additional Help
A Traumatic Accident or Fall
In the situation where a traumatic event occurred, such as a fall or hospitalization, an individual’s care needs can be changed dramatically. An individual can go from virtually independent to needing full care in a matter of moments. As their loved one this can add a great deal of stress to you worrying about how to keep them safe and help them recover or adapt to their new situation. However it is important to remember that this can be very frustrating for them as well, having to rely on someone besides themselves for basic tasks and could be potentially traumatic given the accident that occurred.
Noticeable Changes in Their Behavior
The other common scenario is that a family member or medical professional notices changes in their loved one.
Important changes to look for:
- Their appearance is unkept
- They appear unclean
- They are struggling with daily activities such as, feeding themselves and keeping their living space clean
- Consistent changes in behavior and mood
- They are isolating themselves
These changes can oftentimes be harder to address and detect because they are gradual and subtle. In addition, it is easier to make excuses for these situations, so it is oftentimes more difficult to address.
Creating a Plan to Help
It is very normal to be unsure of what to do or how to help, in both situations. You may be unsure what level of care is needed for your loved ones, for how long care will be needed, if the need is temporary or permanent and what your loved one’s care needs are and if they are able to afford the care that they need. Oftentimes families are not fully aware of all of the various care options available for their loved one. This time can be very unfamiliar, upsetting and overwhelming, it is important to know you don’t have to go through this alone.
How Alliance Senior Care Can Help
Alliance Senior Care is owned and operated by a Certified Geriatric Care Manager.
Our in-home visits assess the following areas of concern:
- Determine an individual’s care needs
- Assess Cognitive Status
- Determine the number of days and hours of care the individual will need
- Identify if they are appropriate to remain in the home
- Address Financial Concerns and identify 3rd Party Payment Options
- Coordinate care with other providers such as Dr.’s and therapists