Signs that your loved one needs care

As well as being parents a lot of us will also be in a situation where our own parents or in-laws are getting older and needing more assistance. We’ve got some really useful advice from our friends at Carelinx Ltd home care here on signs that they need more than just a little bit of assistance…

There comes a time when living at home alone with no assistance becomes too difficult and dangerous. You may be starting to recognise this with your loved one and are wondering what signs there are when trying to decide when they require some additional home help. Here we highlight some of the main ones.

Safety has become a concern

Has your loved one recently suffered from a fall at home when nobody else was around? Or are they struggling to do simple tasks such as lock the door or get up and down steps alone? If they are no longer safe in their home then this causes a big risk.

Personal hygiene is becoming harder to maintain

Ask your loved one how often they are showering and bathing and whether they have trouble doing this. It can be a tricky subject and not everyone will be open and forthcoming about these issues, but chances are you know them well enough to know if their personal hygiene routine is lacking and if they are struggling to get in and out of the bath or bed.

The home is in disarray

They may be struggling to stand for long periods of time or bend over and use the dishwasher and therefore the dirty dishes have all stacked up. Or the garden may be a mess as they cannot tend to it anymore. Although these might seem like small details, they are signs that your parent or grandparent can’t do everything that they used to do, and they may not be capable of living independently. 

Their sleeping and eating habits have changed

Have you noticed that they are eating a lot of the same thing all of a sudden, as they can’t cook like they used to? Or are they particularly irritable, perhaps down to trouble sleeping? Having some home care support to help with these areas may make all the difference.

Mobility has become limited or changed

You will be able to tell if your loved one isn’t moving like they used to. Often, they refuse to use their cane, walker or wheelchair and struggle to get around the house. If they are at this stage, then home care will help them to relax more, putting tasks in the hands of carers, so they can worry less about their body’s strength to do everything.

They aren’t taking their medication

A real worry and red flag this one is! Some elderly people will try to avoid taking their medication or decide to stop taking it all together without consulting their doctor or loved ones. Having a Carer visiting at home means they will take all the medication they need and it will give you peace of mind that they aren’t compromising their health.

The family is finding it difficult to share the load

It is much easier to have peace of mind that your loved one is in good hands than to be stressing over how you and your family are going to share the load and try and attend to all of their needs and look after them. Having care at home means that they will have the care, support and attention they need, whilst staying in their own home in their own familiar surroundings and you will not have to change your working arrangements or commitments.

Carelinx Ltd provides care and support which helps people who, because of age, illness, disability or other similar circumstances, need help to carry out their personal care or domestic or social routines.