As seniors age, there are subtle signs they need help at home that adult children may miss. Since most adult children aren’t with their aging parents every day, they should be alert to any signs of mental, physical, or emotional changes that may be occurring when they come to visit. Here are some subtle signs your senior parent might need help around the home.
1. Less Concern about Personal Hygiene
Your loved one may have always been fastidious about his or her personal appearance, but you might notice he or she looks untidy or ungroomed more frequently. You may also notice your parent is wearing the same clothes day after day. If your parent’s personal care habits have changed significantly, it could be an early sign of dementia or indicate depression.
Every senior has different needs when aging in place. Some simply need occasional assistance with household chores, while others may be managing serious illnesses and require more extensive in-home care. Seniors can count on Assisting Hands Home Care Frederick to provide the in-home care they need and deserve.
2. Tickets for Bad Driving
Those tickets your senior relative received for driving outside his or her lane or running a stop sign may be more serious than you think. The risk of fatal car crashes rises after the age of 70, and impaired vision or hearing and slowed motor reflexes can contribute to this. Take a closer look at the cause and, if necessary, tactfully suggest your loved one let others drive from now on.
3. Difficulty Cooking Recipes
You may notice your loved one who has cooked all his or her life suddenly begin to forget key ingredients while in the kitchen. It may be something as simple as the coffee your loved one serves suddenly tasting bland. This could be age-related memory loss or an early sign of dementia. Either way, if this happens regularly, it could begin to affect other areas besides just cooking, so it will become increasingly important to get help for your parent at home.
Senior care providers can benefit aging adults in a variety of ways. From cooking nutritious meals to offering timely medication reminders, the dedicated caregivers at Assisting Hands Home Care are available to help your elderly loved one 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
4. Wavy Handwriting
Your loved one’s handwriting may begin to appear wavy, or his or her hands may shake when holding a cup of tea or trying to write a note. Weakened motor control can also be seen in the limbs and can affect the ability to navigate the home and climb stairs, increasing the potential for accidents or falls.
5. Difficulty Finding Words
This isn’t the occasional drop of a word or two from memory but rather frequently having difficulty speaking and finding the correct words to say. Your loved one may even use a word in place of another in a way that doesn’t make sense. Although the inability to find words isn’t harmful in itself, it might indicate the onset of dementia.
It’s a good idea to check on seniors over the age of 70 more frequently, especially if they’re living alone. If you notice any of the above symptoms, it may be time to hire a caregiver. One of the most challenging tasks of helping an elderly relative age in place safely and comfortably is researching agencies that provide elder care. Frederick families can turn to Assisting Hands Home Care for reliable, high-quality in-home care for aging adults. We offer care for seniors who require extensive assistance, and we also offer respite care for family caregivers who need a break from their caregiving duties. To learn about our premier in-home care options, give us a call at (301) 786-5045 today.
