How To Recognize When Your Loved One Needs Extra Help

Family members of aging adults typically travel one of two paths to becoming a caregiver, the sudden urgency or the gradual process. The sudden urgency towards providing care for a loved one is often set off by an unexpected event-a stroke, a fall, complications from surgery-which acts as a catalyst, escalating your family member’s care needs practically overnight.

The gradual process towards caregiving is less abrupt. You can’t say exactly when it began, but you’ve started noticing little changes in how your family member interacts with the world around them. Perhaps they’re getting lost while driving to the grocery store, or they are having trouble keeping track of their medications, or balancing their checkbook-tasks they’ve performed countless times over the years, without any problems.

Whether the change is sudden or gradual, there are certain signs you can look for that indicate when your loved one is having trouble attending to their own needs. Some of these signs are: Poor Identifying the presence of these indicators early on will enable you; your aging loved one and the rest of your family to come up with a plan to make sure everyone’s needs are met.

Here are signs that may indicate your loved one needs help at home:

• Spoiled food that doesn’t get thrown away
• Missing important appointments
• Unexplained bruising
• Difficulty with walking, balance and mobility
• Uncertainty and confusion when performing once-familiar tasks
• Noticeable decline in grooming habits and personal care
• Dirty house, extreme clutter and dirty laundry piling up
• Stacks of unopened mail or an overflowing mailbox
• Late payment notices, bounced checks and calls from bill collectors
• Poor diet or weight loss
• Loss of interest in hobbies and activities
• Changes in mood or extreme mood swings
• Forgetting to take medications – or taking more than the prescribed dosage

If your loved one is exhibiting these signs, please contact SILVERcare for an evaluation. We can provide solutions to your concerns and provide a safe environment for your loved one.