How can you tell when it’s no longer safe for your mom to live alone without any assistance? You’ll see things that just don’t feel right when you go to visit. If you need guidance, these are five of the warning signs that elder care is needed.
Hoarding
Hoarding occurs when someone is making up for something that’s lacking. It could be your mom is purchasing items like shoes to make up for the loss of her husband. She may be lonely and feels that garage sale knickknacks provide comfort.
As the items build up and take over her home, her home becomes dangerous. It can make it harder for fire crews to get to each room if something happens. It also adds fuel to a fire that starts. Hoarding can make it hard to properly clean a home. Too much clutter can also draw rodents and other forms of vermin.
Worsening Grooming and Personal Care
If your mom is having a hard time with mobility or joint pain, she may start avoiding things that require her to move or hold her hands in certain ways. You may find she no longer brushes her teeth. She doesn’t brush her hair or shave. She can’t hold a toothbrush, razor, or comb comfortably, which makes it easier to skip those tasks.
Declining Memory
Your mom has forgotten she has a dentist appointment and misses it. The dentist charges her a no-show fee that she can’t afford. That’s one sign of declining memory. If she is developing dementia, she will need more and more help around her home.
Other signs include forgetting to pay bills, buying more groceries when she already has plenty at home, or forgetting she has stew cooking on the stove. She might forget how to get back home. She may start to put items like her wallet in weird places and blame others for stealing them.
Mobility Issues
When mobility issues kick in, the risk of a fall heightens. If your mom were to fall on the stairs, how long would it be before you stopped by and found her unable to get back up? Can she get off the sofa without a struggle? Can she get out of bed within help? If not, elder care aides can help with ambulation.
Frequent Takeout and Convenience Meals
Your mom stopped cooking because reading and following a recipe is too hard. She can’t cut meats and vegetables anymore. If she’s relying on high-sodium, high-fat, and high-sugar meals, malnutrition is a risk. Malnutrition heightens health conditions. Make sure she’s eating well by having someone else prepare her meals.
Elder care services help your entire family out when your mom requires care. Discuss pricing, scheduling, and services by calling our elder care service today.
If you or an aging loved one are in need of Elder Care Services in Massapequa 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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