WE ARE HOME HEALTH CARE WITH A HEART

No matter how much we wish things could be different, sometimes difficult conversations must happen as our loved ones (and ourselves!) get older. One of those difficult conversations centers on when it is time to bring caregiving services into the home.

Even though the topic can be upsetting to many older people, private duty caregiving services may be the only way to ensure the continued well-being of your parent or spouse or loved one. Those caregiving services can range from simple companionable times to housework to meal preparation to dispensing medications and assisting with cognitive or mobility issues. 

There are some definite signals as to when your loved one needs professional home care: unusual weight loss or weight gain, for example, can indicate dementia or a mild stroke, among other things. 

Even if you can’t spend as much time with your aging parent as you’d like, one warning sign is difficult to miss: failing to perform personal hygiene. This is not so much about flawless makeup or perfectly coordinated clothing, but about basic cleanliness. Body odor, continuously wearing the same clothes, or an overall unkempt appearance signals that it is time to engage professional home health assistance.

Is the house messier than usual, or is there a lot of unopened mail, or are items showing up in strange places (like the milk container is in the dishwasher instead of the refrigerator)? These are clear signals that your loved one is struggling to cope, and may be losing the battle with cognitive decline.

Just as important: how are YOU, your parents’ or your spouse’s primary caregiver, coping? Are you overwhelmed or exhausted from the constant demands of caregiving while juggling a job and family responsibilities? Caregiver stress and compassion fatigue are very real. Before you are overcome, it is vital that you have that professional home care conversation–for the ongoing safety and health of both your loved one and yourself.

Find out more about Next Level Nursing Solution’s compassionate, safe, professional  private duty services, and let us walk you through options that can benefit both you and your loved one. Take the step that can help improve the quality of life for your loved one while allowing them to remain in their own home.

We are home health care with a heart.