Have you noticed that your parent is forgetting to take their prescribed medications every now and then? This is a lot more common than you might think. Studies have shown that about 60 percent of people admit to forgetting to take medications every once in a while. You can prevent your parent from falling into this category by putting some kind of reminder system into place. You can also make sure your parent takes their medications every day by getting them access to senior home care. A senior home health care specialist can administer medications to your parent and see that they don’t forget to take them. Showing signs of forgetfulness when it comes to taking medications isn’t the only sign that your parent might need senior home care. Here are 8 other signs that’ll indicate your parent needs help.

1. Struggles to Get Around

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, about 40 percent of people over the age of 65 suffer from at least one disability. About two-thirds of these people say that their disability makes walking around and climbing up and down stairs too difficult to do. Does your parent have a hard time navigating around, both out in the world and in their own home? This is a pretty clear-cut sign that they could benefit from senior home care. A senior home health care specialist can help your parent get around inside of their house. They can also prevent them from falling down, which is a huge problem within the elderly community. About 1 out of every 4 people over the age of 65 falls every year. Your parent’s home aide can help them avoid becoming part of this troubling statistic.

2. Neglects Personal Hygiene

Has your parent stopped bathing, shaving, brushing their teeth, and taking care of their other personal hygiene needs? It might be because they don’t see the sense in practicing good hygiene when they’re confined to their house for the most part. But it might also be because they struggle to do things like getting in and out of the bathtub or holding a razor or toothbrush. Help them take pride in themselves again by providing them with senior home care.

3. Fails to Eat Healthy Meals

As people get older, it’s more important than ever before for them to eat healthy. Far too often, older Americans don’t get the nutrients they need on a daily basis. Some people don’t eat healthy meals because they don’t have the strength to move around in the kitchen like they used to. Others have a tough time making it to the grocery store in order to keep their homes stocked with fresh foods. Whatever the case, a senior home health care specialist can make sure your parent is eating healthy (and delicious!) meals every day. They can also alert you to any potential problems with your parent’s appetite that could be tied to their medications.

4. Misses Important Appointments

Are you constantly getting calls from your parent’s doctor about them missing important appointments? At first, you might think your parent is just ducking the doctor and skipping their appointments on purpose. But the problem could be that your parent isn’t able to get themselves ready on time and drive to the doctor’s office for their appointments. When you arrange senior home care for them, this will no longer be an issue. Your parent will get to and from appointments safely without having to get behind the wheel.

5. Stays in the House All the Time

It’s not good for people to stay cooped up inside the house 24/7. Unless your parent has a condition that prevents them from leaving the house, you should make it a point to get them out into the world as often as you can. If you can’t do it yourself, a senior home health care specialist will gladly get it done for you. They can take your parent out on errands so that they can make it to places like the grocery store. They can also take them on walks outside to get them plenty of fresh air.

6. Puts Off Housekeeping

When your parent is at home, you want them to be as comfortable as they can possibly be. It’s going to be hard for them to get comfortable when their house is a mess. A good senior home care agency will see to it that your parent’s house looks its best. They’ll take care of doing things like:

• Washing and folding laundry
• Filling and emptying the dishwasher
• Running the vacuum cleaner
• Dusting furniture
• Picking up items from the floor and putting them away

This will prevent your parent from having to do this on their own. It’ll also make it easier for them to relax when they’re hanging out at home.

7. Experiences Mood Swings

It’s not uncommon for older people to experience mood swings throughout the course of a normal day. It’s often a sign that they’re dealing with cognitive issues. These mood swings can create a lot of tension between you and your parent, especially if you’re giving up a ton of your time to care for them only to have them snap at you every few minutes. Bringing in a senior home care company to help will reduce the tension and help to limit your parent’s mood swings.

8. Spends Little Time Socializing With Others

If nothing else, a senior home health care specialist can provide your parent with the companionship that they crave. You no doubt try to provide them with this companionship yourself. But it’s impossible for you to be by your parent’s side at every moment every single day. A specialist will sit and talk with your parent about everything from what’s happening in the news to what they have coming up in the week ahead. Socializing can boost your parent’s mood and make them feel better about life in general.

Get Senior Home Care for Your Parent Today

Most parents don’t want to admit that they need help when talking to their kids. They don’t want to feel like they’re burdening their kids by asking for assistance. Rather than relying on your parent to ask for help, look out for the signs that it’s time to get your parent senior home care. It’ll take the guesswork out of it for you and benefit your parent in a big way. Contact us today for more information on how we can help both you and your parent.