Benefits of Home Care: Sometimes, it’s hard to step back and notice how much your mom has changed.
Benefits of Home Care: Your mom was the head of the PTA. She was the go-to person when cupcakes or other baked goods were needed for a school bake sale. Even after school, she kept busy and was always active.
She’s slowed down, but you expected that after retirement. Is it simply that she’s slowed down though? How do you know when she’s struggling with daily activities and needs the benefits of home care?
Things Aren’t Getting Done
Things around your mom’s home aren’t getting done. The carpet or flooring is covered in dust, pet hair, and other particles. Your mom says she’s having a harder time lifting the vacuum out of the closet or pushing it around the home.
You visit one weekend and see the dishes are stacked on the counter and haven’t been loaded into the dishwasher or washed. When you return a few days later, they’re still not done. You may find dishes get washed, but there are still pieces of food stuck on. She can’t see the grease or food particles that she missed.
One other sign is that your mom isn’t doing her laundry. She’s wearing the same jeans week after week and they’re starting to smell. You want to wash them, but she insists she’ll do it but never does.
She’s Missing Appointments
You scheduled a dentist appointment for your mom. You called her the night before to remind her. She said it’s written on the calendar, but you learn she never got to the appointment. When you call to check on her, she says she forgot all about it.
If this starts happening a lot, it can be an early warning sign for dementia. It could also be that she is scared to go, in which case accompanying her may help.
She’s Dependent on You
You’re at work and your mom calls to chat. You explain that you can’t take personal calls at work and will call her later. She seems hurt but agrees. The next day, the same thing happens. If she’s lonely, she’s going to keep calling and wanting to socialize.
Doses of Her Daily Medications Aren’t Being Taken
Your mom is supposed to take blood pressure medications every day. You go to refill her pill organizer and find she missed three days. Missed doses of important medications impact her health. She needs help remembering to take them. These are the benefits of Home Care.
Benefits of Home Care: Conclusion:
Don’t put off calling a home care agency. While most agencies do everything possible to set new clients up with local caregivers, some areas have more demand than others. Call a home care agency as soon as you know services will help your mom and get her lined up with someone to help her out.