How To Know When It’s Time For A Personal Care Home?
An all too common scenario:
She said, “I will never move into a nursing home.”
You said, “I’ll take care of you.”
But now, she is very frail and you are exhausted…
Providing care for a loved one can be an exhausting task. You may not realize the toll this is taking on your own mental and physical well-being.
Symptoms of caregiver burnout can include:
- Feelings of depression
- A sense of ongoing and constant fatigue
- Decreasing interest in work
- Decrease in productiveness at home and work
- Withdrawal from social contacts
- Increase in use of stimulants and alcohol
- Increased fear of death or illness
- Changes in eating patterns
- Feelings of helplessness
- Anxiety about the future
- Exhaustion
- Lack of concentration
- Health problems
This is the price of waiting until you or your loved one is in crisis.
Time is of the essence. Have that tough conversation.
Your loved one may be experiencing difficulty living independently and you may not notice some of the signs.
Signs of seniors living “At Risk” may include:
- Unkempt appearance
- Poor personal hygiene
- Weight loss
- The home and/or yard is uncharacteristically dirty or messy
- Leftovers in the fridge that are very old
- Clothing is being worn unusually dirty or smelly or is worn for days at a time when that was previously not their habit
- No evidence of meals being made in the home (absence of dishes, cooking smells, same food in the freezer, etc for a long time, etc)
- No food in the home
- Banking, errands, etc are not being done in a timely fashion, stacks of paper bills lying around
- Accidents with their vehicle, or getting lost frequently
- Falls or injuries, bruises that may be hidden or explained away
What is the price of waiting until your loved one is in crisis?
Confused seniors living at risk, disorganized, exhausted, well-meaning children, and families in chaos!
The benefits of living in a Personal Care Home are many:
- Companionship
- Regular, nutritious meals
- Medication supervision and assistance
- Assistance with personal care (bathing, grooming, dressing etc.)
- Housekeeping and laundry services
- 24-hour supervision – help is close at hand
- Government financial supplement if necessary
- Assistance with personal hygiene and bathing
- A healthy functioning family unit
- Peace of mind for worried family me