- Blog Archive
It is often said that "home is where the heart is". This means home is also a sacred, comfortable space that can be challenging to welcome change into. For many older adults, this change comes in the form of receiving in home care. Opening the door to home care can feel like closing the door on one's independence. In reality, the introduction of in home care opens the door to both by helping a person live and thrive in the place that is nearest and dearest to their heart.
Here are some signs from a Solutions for Living at Home expert that in home care may be the right fit:
Recognizing That It Is Time for Home Care
1) Bills are not being paid
A missed payment notice has quickly become a pileup of bills that have been forgotten and left behind. The implications are not just confined to the home, but can extend to legal and financial troubles that cause undue stress for both the older adult and their loved ones.
2) The home has become uncharacteristically cluttered
This goes beyond a loose sock left on the couch or a bowl left in the sink. Instead, it means an unkempt house has become the rule rather than the exception. And it is especially a concern if your previously-neat freak mother has not been her usual self. For older adults, this can mean an abundance of safety risks- from consuming spoiled food in the fridge to tripping over loose objects left on the floor.
3) Signs of memory loss
If friends and family notice their loved one is struggling to recall details in conversations with them, the person is likely forgetting other important information when no one else is around. A forgotten phone number can spiral into a question of whether the person remembered to take their daily medication or tie their shoes before leaving the home.
4) Less attention to personal care
A loved one is no longer taking care of themselves like they previously were. This can look like hygiene-related tasks such as morning teeth brushing or an evening shower becoming "optional". This can not only lead to isolation and poor mental health for older adults, but also severe and costly physical health consequences.
These changes in routine and behavior can be worrisome to a person or those closest to them. But other changes don't have to be.
Next Steps: The Role of Solutions for Living at Home
Solutions for Living at Home provides a remedy to the obstacles that make daily life more challenging for older adults. Our Solutions Partners bring heart to everything they do, by allowing clients and their loved ones to sleep more soundly at night knowing a person and their independence are being properly supported.
Solutions Partners can manage medications, help keep the home tidy, or even prepare a favorite dish. More than that, they develop genuine relationships with their clients. It is through these relationships that people are able to open their homes-and hearts- to a new friend and support system, rather than a stranger.
Simply put, in home care can make home feel like home again.