Top Signs That Your Parent Needs Home Care
Love is a miraculous sensation and some believe it has the power to move mountains while others say that love can heal everything. Alas! That is not the case every time.
Increasing age brings with itself an array of debilitations and disabilities. Family members and relatives may find it hard to cope with the changing mental, emotional, and physical health of their loved ones. There are certain signs that your parents and loved ones may be in need of home care. These signs include loneliness of the elderly, weakness, cognition issues, bone and joint aches, and physical debilitations. A home health aide is trained to look after all nutritional and medical needs of your loved one and help them improve the quality of their life.
If your parent or loved one is exhibiting the signs in this article, be sure to check out our blog which discusses the benefits of enrolling your loved one in Home Care vs. a Nursing Home.
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1. Cognition And Memory Issues
One of the greatest challenges faced by the elders is cognition issues. Memory and cognition problems make life difficult for both the sufferer and the caregiver. If your parents are suffering from memory loss and you find it hard to interact with them, then you should consider home care.
Dementia
Research suggests that people suffering from dementia experience a better quality of life, lesser cognitive severity, and improved social connectedness with home care. Home Care caregivers can prove to be a great deal of comfort for dementia patients. This type of service is better than nursing homes.
Elders suffering from dementia are at great risk of developing depression (due to neurological changes). Professional home care can improve the quality of life in patients with dementia and reduce the incidence of depression.
Alzheimer’s Disease
Brain damage in Alzheimer’s patients leads to cognitive impairment and memory loss. This is often mistaken for the normal aging process, however, Alzheimer's has grave consequences. If your loved one is above 60 years of age and is having a hard time recalling daily events, he/she might be suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
Such patients can also have impaired judgment and even vision issues. In advanced stages, mood and personality changes are also found. Coping with anxiety and aggression can have a disruptive impact on the relationships.
Therefore, home care service providers can help ease the tense situation in a professional manner. Nursing home attendants and home care caregivers are well aware of how to diffuse an aggressive situation, thus, enhance the quality of life of the patients.
Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s disease is another degenerative disease of the brain characterized by shaking/tremors and muscle rigidity. Patients suffering from this neurodegenerative disease can experience tremors while at rest.
It usually begins with mild tremors and progresses to slowed movements and impaired postures. The elderly patients also suffer from gait changes and can have slurred speech. Interacting and managing such patients at home is difficult. Therefore, most people take help from home caregivers or a nursing home.
A meta-analysis of different studies has shown that the provision of personal home care to Parkinson’s patients can lead to evident improvements in quality of life. Carrying out the basic daily chores is troublesome for the shaking Parkinson’s patients. These activities can be eased in a nursing home or with the help of a home care assistant.
2. Anxiety And Depression
Old age is a cocktail of emotions. The inability to express your love to the beautiful lady or rejecting that highly paid job are regrets that can haunt you in later stages of your life. This is why the old might experience mood disorders and anxiety.
Managing a depressed elder is tricky. Extreme cases of depression require special medical attention where the healthcare provider keeps the patient under surveillance 24/7. Increased suicide tendency is also reported by some depression patients. A study suggests that home health care is a feasible idea for our parents or loved ones who are experiencing depression.
3. Loneliness
According to National Poll on Healthy Aging, one in every three older adults suffers from loneliness and a lack of companionship. These adults are often subject to loneliness. This might not seem to be an issue for a social and working adult but it matters a lot for the retired parent who has nothing to do and no one to accompany.
If your loved one complains of loneliness, you should contact a home care provider. This is because loneliness is not the only problem. Studies have shown that older adults suffering from loneliness show a rapid fall in health with age. Countering this loneliness is directly linked to healthy aging, improved quality of life, and greater perceived safety/satisfaction.
There are a number of ways by which a home care assistant can help out the senior.
Medical Assistance
Even the normal aging process can take a toll on your memory. It is a common observation that the old members of the house are suffering from one disease or another, and they frequently forget to take their medicines on time. This neglect of medical attention can have grave consequences.
A home care caregiver keeps track of their daily medicinal routine and will provide peace of mind that your loved on is receiving the care that they need.
Nutritional Assistance
Elders suffering from chronic diseases like diabetes have to be looked after. It is widely believed that elders and kids have the same mentality. At this stage of life, parents forget what’s good for them and have the tendency to revert to the same nutritional state of mind they had when they were kids. This is why they should be in strict attention.
Senile members of the house can be guided well about nutrition by a home care nurse and their nutritional needs can be looked after nicely.
Emotional Assistance
A good home care provider also provides emotional support to the patient and helps him/her with catharsis. Companionship is very important when combatting loneliness.
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4. Weakness Or Weight Gain
The increasing age brings with it the unwanted gifts of weakness and weight undulation. Due to changes in the basal metabolic index, some elders can swell up while others may become weaker. The ultimate result of both these conditions is the inability to move.
Overweight and/or weak individuals are at risk of injury because of the frequent falls. According to a 2020 study, elderly individuals above 55 years of age (especially the ones with comorbid diseases) are prone to falling. This falling can lead to fractures, injuries, bruises, and disc slips, and can be attributed to muscle weakness and imbalance.
5. Maladies Of The Bones And Joints
Men and women suffering from bone and joint disease are plagued with pain and stiffness. The inability to move the joints forces them to stick to their beds. In such a scenario, a home care nurse can lend a hand. Carrying the your parent to the washroom, helping him/her dress up, and eat are some highlights of the services provided.
You should consider hiring a home care caregiver if they are suffering from advanced osteoporosis or arthritis. Osteoarthritis of the knee (and after surgery) leads to a greater risk of falls, therefore, such patients must be given special attention.
6. Physical Debilitation
You make your and your loved one’s life easier by enrolling in home care services. There are certain conditions in which external help is imminent. Some the debilitating conditions include:
● Fractures
● Paralysis
● Amputation
● Post-Stroke Patients
● Cancers
According to a study, home care can play a part in improving life quality in terminal cancer patients. Terminally ill patients (like those on life support, or in a coma) require palliative care.
Similarly, severely debilitated people like those having paralysis, amputated limbs, post-stroke complications, and cancer can feel a great deal of ease and comfort with a home care assistant.
Are you looking for home health care services in or around Philadelphia, PA?
If you are seeking senior in-home care for you or your loved one, then Sunflower Home Health Care Services is here for you. Our highly skilled team operates across Philadelphia and all surrounding counties, we pride ourselves on offering home care with a difference.
Our in-depth range of services can ensure you do not need to move your loved ones to a nursing home or other assisted living facility. We have a family-first approach, which means we treat everyone we work with as if they were part of our own family, giving you complete peace of mind that you or your loved ones are in the best care possible.
Sunflower Home Health Care Services offers a wide range of services including companionship, respite care, hospice care, taking vitals, housekeeping, meal prep, and other medical needs. So if you are looking for the very best care for yourself or your loved ones, get in touch with our team today.
CONTACT US TO SPEAK WITH ONE OF OUR HOME CARE PROFESSIONALS