How to Know When Your Elderly Parent Needs Help

Anxiety Can Be Killer – But you Needn’t Let It Rule Your Life

Unfortunately our parents getting older is an inevitable part of life. Sometimes the aging process is gradual and sometimes our parents can change very quickly and it is down to us to figure out what they need and how we can approach any declining mental or physical health problems.

It is not always easy to know when extra help is necessary and sometimes the little warning signs can go unnoticed. So here are our tips on how to recognise that things need to change, how to do everything that you can to make sure your elderly loved one has everything that they need and how to plan for the future.

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The Warning Signs

There are many warning signs that we need to look out for to make sure that our elderly parents are ok and coping on their own. First of all if you visit them and notice that their normally spick and span home has become untidy and unhygienic then this is a warning sign that the day to days tasks in the home may have become too much for them to cope with.

The same applies to their appearance. If you have noticed that your parent has stopped putting so much effort into their appearance and look uncharacteristically disheveled or unclean then this is also a big warning sign.

Changes in their physical well being needs to be looked out for as any joint problems or physical illnesses will prevent them from being able to go about their daily life. Changes in your parent’s mood can indicate a problem as can any unexplained bruising or cuts on their body. Whether you see that your parent is suffering from mood swings, forgetfulness or depressive behaviour this could be a sign that you need to reach out for help.

You are Struggling

If you find that you are really struggling to take care of your elderly parent alone, or with the help of your family, that is a solid sign that you are going to need some extra help. If you feel that the time has come for you to look into assisted living then go online and find out what options and residences are available in your area. Find help at www.McKnightPlace.com/assisted-living or a similar assisted living facility in your local community, or in the area that your parent lives, to start discussing the options out there. It can be a difficult decision to make, so you will need to make sure that you are reaching out to people in the care community to better understand the options available to you and your family.

Perhaps you still feel that your parent is still able to live in their home, or at home with you, but the day to day caring of that parent is proving too much to handle on your own. In which case you may want to consider hiring a full-time or part-time caregiver that will be able to spend time with your parent caring for them and keeping them company. Find out more information at www.AgeAction.com Don’t feel that you have to do it all on your own if you are feeling like the strain is too much, remember there are many options available for you to receive help.

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