Seniors who have been living a long, full life, generally take pride in staying independent for as long as possible. Being able to keep living in their own home is a proud thing, as many senior citizens can’t do this. But, what do you do as a family caregiver, when you realize your elderly loved one can’t keep doing everything on their own. How do you know when they need 24-hour home care services? These are questions that go through the minds of many family caregivers. The good news is there are some signs that are easily recognizable which generally means it is time for 24-hour home care.
Physical Health Issues
One of the most apparent things to look out for that signal it is time for your elderly loved one to receive overnight care is physical health changes. Some of these changes that you may notice include:
- Disheveled appearance
- Forgetting to brush their hair or teeth
- Not washing up good enough
- Not taking care of their medical health needs such as missing doctor’s appointments or not taking medications
If you start noticing these physical health changes, it may mean that your elderly loved one is struggling with personal care tasks or they just can’t get these things done on their own anymore for another reason. Either way, if these changes are occurring, you may want to sit down and talk with your elderly loved one about hiring 24-hour home care providers.
Mental Health Issues
Sometimes, mental health issues are more difficult to spot than physical health issues. However, that is not always the case. If your elderly loved one is starting to need overnight care, some of the mental health symptoms that may signify this include:
- Isolating themselves from friends, family members, and home care providers
- Having anxiety attacks or experiencing general anxiety
- Depression (sad all the time, maybe sleeping way too much)
- Dealing with stressors all the time (even the little things may stress them out a lot)
These are some mental health issues that may be present if your elderly loved one is starting to need additional care. It is crucial to recognize mental health symptoms for what they are. If they are ignored, it could lead to worsened mental health and physical health problems, too. If you aren’t sure whether your elderly loved one is needing overnight care due to mental health issues, talk to them about it. If that doesn’t work, talk to the other people who are helping with their care.
Hire 24-Hour Home Care Providers
These are some of the top signs that signal overnight care may be needed for your elderly loved one. Now that you know what physical and mental health signs to look for, you can help to prevent further issues from happening with your elderly loved one. If you aren’t sure when or what type of services they are going to need, don’t hesitate to reach out to our home care agency about it today.
Sources: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/aging-place-growing-older-home
If you or a family member need to hire 24-Hour Home Care Services in Northport NY or the surrounding areas, contact the caring professionals at Star Multi Care Services today at (631)956-8835. We are the Right Choice for Home Health Care Services!
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