Getting old is not always a bed of roses with many families becoming increasingly concerned that mum and dad are no longer able to look after themselves. Families of older people need to know that their loved ones are indeed coping, but what does one look out for?
There may be some tell-tale signs to alert the families extra care is required. These signs are a guide only; however, if they are happening on a regular basis then it may be time to act. Just Better Care, one of Australia's biggest networks of home and nursing care, has developed a checklist of what to look for to determine if indeed care is needed. The checklist covers areas from the state of the house through to personal hygiene and many points in between.
Extra Care for Elderly Parents – Checklist of What to Look for
- Are the house and gardens still being attended to or are there visible signs of deterioration?
- Is food being bought and not eaten?
- Is there more than usual clutter or hoarding? Remember that some people have been hoarders all their lives, so be clear about your loved one's degree of hoarding or clutter.
- Does the older family member appear depressed and/or lethargic?
- Have there been any significant personality changes in the elderly loved one? Does he appear more quiet, withdrawn, depressed, irritable or angry?
- Are there any changes in his appearance? Does he appear to have lost weight, perhaps his clothes have become constantly grubby or stained?
- Does the loved one have less contact with the outside world? Is he becoming reclusive?
- Has the loved one lost interest in his usual hobbies and interests?
The above signs are to be used as a guideline only. However, if the family feels that one or a number of these signs are indeed developing then it may be time to introduce an aged care professional to discuss the issues with the elderly loved one to fully determine his degree of need.
What Services to Access to Help the Aged
Care may not always be seen as a need to move to a home or an aged care facility. Care could be as simple as introducing services that can be accessed to assist the aged to stay at home for as long as possible. These include:
- Meals on Wheels
- Having personal alarms installed should a loved one fall.
- Home visits. Many community health centres have a programme of home visits whereby a loved one is allocated an amount of hours each week where someone will come into the home and clean where needed.
- Blue Nurses, who will manage a client, and offer a number of services.
- Arranging of a family member or friend to call in on the loved one on a daily basis for a chat and to make sure that all is well.
Getting old is often fraught with difficulties and can be very stressful for families with older parents or relatives. In many cases the changes that are happening are often a gradual process, easily missed if one is not looking. It is also difficult to know when to step in and make certain decisions, as the impact on all concerned will be an emotional and financial one. However, it does help to know that you are not alone and that help is at hand if needed.
Parania Wilson - Parania attained her degree with a double major in welfare and sociology then spent a number of years in welfare working in Mental Health, ...
