What Every Caregiver Should Know
The phrase “taking care of your parents” is a very broad one. It can range in meaning from checking in on them daily to moving them to a nursing home. There are no hard-and-fast rules about #caregiving. Some adult children elect to move their parents in with their family and incorporate them into their daily routine for as long as possible. It’s also not uncommon for adult children to do the opposite—move into their parents’ home while providing care.
There are also seniors whose adult children are unable to physically care for them and seniors who refuse to allow their children to change their own lifestyles to meet their needs. We’ve all heard it: “I don’t want to be a burden to my family.” But that argument is muddied when your aging parent or loved one is no longer capable of living alone safely.
Knowing When It’s Time to Make a Change
One of the biggest telltale signs that your aging parent needs help is a change in the home environment. When the red flag warnings begin, it’s time to act. Physically, there are six key indicators that it may be time to provide in-home care or make the transition to assisted #living. The signs to look for revolve around what is referred to as “Activities of Daily Living” or ADL.
- Bathing – How is your parents’ hygiene? Do they take care of themselves? Are they able to take a bath or shower by themselves?
- Dressing – Is your parent able to select their clothing and properly dress themselves?
- Transferring – Can your parents safely get into and out of their bed?
- Toileting – Are there issues with going to the bathroom? Is help needed?
- Continence – Are they still able to control their bladder and bowel movements?
- Eating – Can they still make a meal and or are they able to feed themselves?
#Aging for everyone looks different. What is important is that an individual can safely perform the day-to-day tasks it takes to continue to independently live. Please keep in mind that it’s not always age that can prohibit a person from conducting these activities. It can be an illness, injury or even a disability.
What To Do If Your Parent Can’t Do the Activities?
First – don’t panic! Easier said than done, right? When you realize your parents are struggling to do one or more of the six activities of daily living, call their doctor. It’s best that you seek medical #advice, so you are not placed in the position of the “bad guy” and threatening their #independence. Their physician will do an assessment and provide recommendations.
The key is to focus on their goal of having independence while being safe in their surroundings. There are many courses of action that can take place before making the leap to an assisted care facility.
Suggestions For Providing Care:
- Hire a full or part-time caregiver
- Set them up on a meal plan delivery service.
- Equip the home with the proper tools for safety.
- A shower seat
- Bar to hold onto in the shower
- Walker next to the bed for stability.
- Raise the toilet seat.
- Remove any carpets or items on the floor that a person can trip on.
Today there are so many options to enable a person to live independently. The above are just some common solutions to consider.
Navigating senior care can be daunting, but Senior Care Questions is a great place to start to get clear answers from local experts, share concerns in a judgment-free community, and access tailored #resources for your unique needs, including pet care and end-of-life planning. Plus, connect with real people through calls, video chats, or in-person meetings for personalized #support.
The Best Offense Is a Good Defense.
Please keep in mind that each family’s situation is unique. The common denominator every family should do is to plan for the worst, then hope for the best! The benefits of #planning far outweigh the emotional and financial stress that comes from a crisis situation.
Be sure to check out Episode 23 of my #podcast, I Woke Up Dead…Now What?, to learn more!
Feel free to contact me at askjodiclock@gmail.com and give me a follow on LinkedIn/ Facebook/Instagram!