10 Signs you may need in-home senior care

10 Signs you may need in-home senior care.

In-home senior care offers valuable assistance for those in need. Sometimes it can be difficult to determine when your loved one has more needs than family members can provide? We put together a list of behaviors you can look out for to properly determine whether you should consider reaching out to a home care provider.

1. Avoiding or missing important appointments. One of the first indicators can be a trend of missing or avoiding doctor appointments and other obligations. This could be due to increased confusion and other stressors in your loved one’s life.

2. A cluttered home. When loved ones begin struggling with memory issues, they have trouble concentrating and staying on task. This can be described with piles of opened or unopened mail, dirty dishes, unwashed clothes, or a general decline in keeping their home clean.

3. A decline in personal hygiene. This can happen very gradually. Similar to caring for the home, your loved one may lose track of whether or not they properly cared for themselves daily.

4. Uncommon changes with driving. One of the largest challenges you may face is realizing your loved one is not safe driving. This can be a very sensitive issue as driving provides independence, and most people will not want to relinquish this freedom. However, if your family member begins getting tickets, having minor accidents, or you notice dents, this can be a flag.5. Significant weight loss. As some of the items listed above, this can indicate that your loved one is forgetting meals or losing a desire to eat which can be very dangerous.

6. Confusion. We all forget things from time to time. Hence, it is important to keep your eye out for signs of increases in abnormal confusion. Keeping in touch regularly, asking questions about daily events, their plans for the day and week can help you determine if this is getting worse.

7. Forgetting to take medication. Another severe issue that can further affect the health of your family member. As we age, many tend to need important daily medication. Forgetting to take vital medications can lead to serious health complications or worse. Utilizing organized pill containers by day with daily follow-ups and utilizing facetime or similar technology to visually check-in can help.

8. Isolation. This can be tricky during Covid-19. With the vaccines becoming more available, our family members should spend more time out of the home. Again, look for changes in behavior. If your loved one had regular activities and abruptly stops them, it can be a flag. Reaching out to their friends and acquaintances can help you get a feel for any changes.

9. Falls. Keep an eye out for an increase in bruising or things breaking in the home. This can be one of the most dangerous warning signs particularly if your family member lives in a home with stairs.

10. Troubles with movement. Activities of daily life are things many of us take for granted. If you notice your loved one suddenly has trouble getting out of chairs, using the bathroom, taking a shower, getting in and out of vehicles, or any other activities they rarely had trouble with before, it is an indicator they may need in-home care assistance.

We realize just reading this article can be difficult. If you are at the beginning stage of what can be a challenging journey or feel you are long past the need for help, please contact us. Our locally owned family business has been built by providing unmatched in-home care for seniors in the greater Oakland County area. We are based in Commerce Township and serve Birmingham, Bloomfield, West Bloomfield, Union Lake, White Lake, Clarkston, Holly, Novi, Farmington, Farmington Hills, Northville, Waterford, and many other Wayne and Macomb Counties areas.

We also understand you have many choices when deciding on which home care company you can choose. This is why we provide a free home care guide to arm you with the best questions to ask when looking for a home care provider. We also provide a free consultation and home safety inspection with no obligation. Our mission is to help you find in-home care for your family member, whether it is with another company or us. We also may recommend a different company or type of care based on the free consultation and home safety check.

We pride ourselves on offering the best caregivers in the area as we have above-market wages. Our priority is providing the best possible care for every family we serve. Our owners will provide you with their cellphone numbers so you feel you can have direct contact with us if you have any questions or concerns. With Affinity Senior Care, you can start with our minimum plan of 12 hours per week to get a feel for our services and gradually increase the hours if you feel the need. We have many caregivers so that we can provide the best possible match for your loved one. If you would like to get started, please fill out the form below, or you can contact the owner directly via email at chris@affinityseniorcare.com or call us today at 248-363-8430

May you have peace during this difficult journey, and please know you are not alone. God Bless You.