Senior care decisions often require looking for cues that older adults need their care plans adjusted. In the early senior years, many people only need minor assistance, such as having someone drop by to help out with basic household chores. However, seeing these issues in your aging loved one’s life is a sign it’s time to increase the level of care to include a live-in caregiver.
1. No Longer Cooking & Eating Regular Meals
Some seniors only need a little help with cooking. For instance, your loved one might have done fine as long as someone cut up vegetables or helped with grocery shopping. Now, your loved one might have stopped cooking completely, or a case of malnutrition might have made it clear he or she isn’t eating at all. Live-in caregivers can help with preparing three meals a day plus snacks. They’ll even sit down with your loved one at mealtimes and provide encouragement to eat what’s needed to fuel his or her body.
If your senior loved one needs hourly or live-in care, Green Valley Embrace In-Home Care can help. Our caregivers can assist with exercise and mobility, prepare nutritious meals, provide timely medication reminders, and help with a wide array of other important daily tasks.
2. No Longer Able to Manage the Household
It’s common for seniors to experience a few changes in their household routines when they recover from illnesses or injuries. Yet you’ll need to worry more if your loved one’s home always seems to be in a constant state of disarray. Seeing piles of dirty laundry on the floor or dishes in the sink may mean your parent is having problems with mobility or chronic pain. A live-in care arrangement can include assistance with daily tasks your loved one can no longer handle, and this even includes changing soiled bed linens in the middle of the night.
3. At High Risk for Wandering
Speaking of the late-night hours, your loved one might have reached the point where you fear for his or her safety after everyone has gone to sleep. If your loved one experiences nighttime wakings, his or her biggest need for care might occur when other caregivers have gone home for the day. A live-in home care provider is prepared to keep your loved one safe overnight, when you need the help the most.
When researching agencies that provide homecare services, Green Valley, AZ, families are usually looking for flexible care plans, compassionate and highly trained caregivers, and 24/7 availability. Whether you need respite care to take a break from your caregiving duties or your senior loved one needs around-the-clock assistance at home, you can rely on Embrace In-Home Care.
4. Vulnerable to Abuse
Thieves and fraudsters often see seniors as easy marks. A live-in caregiver is always there to listen for signs of scams when your loved one answers the phone and stop suspicious activities before they get serious. Your loved one is less likely to become a target for elder abuse by a nefarious relative or neighbor when a professional caregiver is staying in the home.
5. Requiring Around-the-Clock Medication
At first, your loved one might have been able to get by with daytime medication management. However, many seniors need to begin using medication at night as they develop new or worsening health conditions. Having someone provide medication reminders and watch for signs of mishaps during the night can give your family a sense of peace.
6. Lacking Relatives Who Live Nearby
You may wish you could stay with your loved one all the time, but distance may make that impossible. Seniors with long-distance relatives often face the most difficulty, but this doesn’t have to happen to your loved one. Having a professional live-in caregiver means your loved one’s care needs are handled at any time of day or night. You can also enjoy knowing your loved one’s caregiver can tell you if anything seems amiss so you can take the proper actions.
Living alone at home in the golden years can present a few unique challenges. Rely on at-home care professionals to help your senior loved one maintain a higher quality of life while he or she lives with an illness and performs the daily tasks of living. Trust your loved one’s care to the professionals at Embrace In-Home Care. To create a customized home care plan for your loved one, call (520) 625-2050 today.