What Is Your Senior’s Home Telling You?
Your elderly family member may be reluctant to talk to you about some of what she’s experiencing, but her house won’t be as reticent. Your senior’s home can tell you an awful lot about how she’s feeling, what she needs, and where she’s having bigger issues than you realized.
Empty Pantry or Fridge
Is your senior going to the grocery store? And if she is, what types of foods is she bringing home? It’s important to check that out because her food is how she gets her nutrients. If she’s not eating healthy food choices, then she may not feel as well as she wants to or should. There may be a variety of reasons that keeping up with cooking and shopping is difficult, but you need to dig a bit to get to the details.
Stacks of Paper
Paper that’s stacked up, whether that’s mail or other paperwork that she’s been collecting, can be a bit of a red flag. This can indicate that your senior might be ignoring more than you might realize. It’s a good idea to talk to her a bit about what’s in the stacks and why they’re collecting. There may be a perfectly good reason, but you need to know what it is.
Dirt or Messiness
If your senior’s home is starting to be messier or even dirtier than it has been in the past, she might be having a hard time keeping up with household tasks. This could be because they’re physically draining for her or she may find that the mental load of keeping up with what needs to be done when is difficult. Regardless, this may be an area you can help outsource for her.
Missing Maintenance
Is your elderly family member’s home being maintained? This doesn’t have to mean she’s doing the work herself, either. Is she managing that process? Having a handyman taking care of these types of details is perfectly fine, especially if that’s being followed through on regularly. Talk to your senior about her plans for home maintenance. If the house is getting to be too much trouble, she may want to consider other options.
It is vital for you to look into these issues a little bit more than just at the surface. As your senior’s caregiver, you’re looking for signs that she needs more help than she’s been getting in order to meet her goals.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Care in Manassas City, VA, please contact the caring staff at LivinRite Home Care.
Call Us Today at (703) 634-9991.
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