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 that time may be approaching where extra care is required. These signs are a guide only, however if they are happening on a regular basis then it may be time act. Just Better Care, one of Australia's biggest networks of home and nursing care have 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.
A Checklist of What to Look For
-Is the house and gardens still being attended to or are there visible signs of deterioration.
-Is food being bought and not eaten, this may have always been the case to be clear about this point
-Is there more than usual clutter or hoarding, remember that some people have been hoarders all their lives, so again be clear about your loved ones degree of hoarding or clutter
-Does your family member appear depressed and/or lethargic
-Have their been any significant personality changes in your loved one. Do they appear more quiet, withdrawn,depressed, irratable or angry
-Is there any change in appearance, do they appear to have lost weight, perhaps their clothes have become constantly grubby or stained
-Does the loved one/s have less contact with the outside world, are they becoming reclusive
-Have the loved one/s lost interest in their usual hobbies and interests
The above signs are to be used as a guideline only, however if the famliy feels that one or a number of these signs are indeed developing then it may be time to introduce a professional to discuss the issues with the loved ones to fully determine their degree of need.
What Services to Access
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 at the ready should a loved one fall
-Many community health centres have a program of home visits whereby a loved one is alocated an amount of hours each week where -someone will come into the home and clean where needed
-Blue Nurses will also case manage a client, offering a number of services
-It can be as simple as having a roster of a famliy member or friend to call in on the loved one on a daily basis for a chat to normalize their existence to ensure that all is well.
Getting old is often fraught with difficulties and can be a very stressful time for the families of the loved ones. 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 should it be needed.
Author Twinkle Brar
A Checklist of What to Look For
-Is the house and gardens still being attended to or are there visible signs of deterioration.
-Is food being bought and not eaten, this may have always been the case to be clear about this point
-Is there more than usual clutter or hoarding, remember that some people have been hoarders all their lives, so again be clear about your loved ones degree of hoarding or clutter
-Does your family member appear depressed and/or lethargic
-Have their been any significant personality changes in your loved one. Do they appear more quiet, withdrawn,depressed, irratable or angry
-Is there any change in appearance, do they appear to have lost weight, perhaps their clothes have become constantly grubby or stained
-Does the loved one/s have less contact with the outside world, are they becoming reclusive
-Have the loved one/s lost interest in their usual hobbies and interests
The above signs are to be used as a guideline only, however if the famliy feels that one or a number of these signs are indeed developing then it may be time to introduce a professional to discuss the issues with the loved ones to fully determine their degree of need.
What Services to Access
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:
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-Meals on Wheels
-Having personal alarms at the ready should a loved one fall
-Many community health centres have a program of home visits whereby a loved one is alocated an amount of hours each week where -someone will come into the home and clean where needed
-Blue Nurses will also case manage a client, offering a number of services
-It can be as simple as having a roster of a famliy member or friend to call in on the loved one on a daily basis for a chat to normalize their existence to ensure that all is well.
Getting old is often fraught with difficulties and can be a very stressful time for the families of the loved ones. 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 should it be needed.
Author Twinkle Brar
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