Your Guide To Senior Care
As your loved one gets older, you may be wondering if they need senior care, and if so, what options are available. Here is a guide on everything you need to know about senior care:
Signs Your Loved One Needs Senior Care
Your loved one's doctor may recommend senior care if your loved one shows certain signs. Here are signs to watch for:
- Wanders or gets lost, especially in familiar places
- Becomes irritated easily and is prone to aggressive outbursts that are verbal or physical in nature
- Has financial problems. May forget to pay bills, overspend, or give excessive amounts of money to other people.
- Has trouble maintaining personal hygiene
- Lack of home maintenance. Isn't cleaning or making necessary repairs.
- Has frequent accidents, injuries, or falls
- Isn't eating properly or taking medication
Senior Care Options
If you and your family member's doctor agrees that senior care is the best option, what options are available? Here is an overview of senior care options:
1. Independent Living
Independent living is a great option for seniors who don't need intensive care but still struggle with certain tasks. With independent living, your loved one will not need to worry about maintenance or cleanliness. Meals are offered in the facility, which is great for seniors who can't cook or get access to proper meals. However, independent living doesn't offer medical staff, so this is not an option for anyone with medical conditions like dementia or Alzheimer's.
2. Assisted-Living Facility
Assisted living is a middle ground between independent living and a nursing home. It's for seniors who need assistance but don't need full-time care. Here are the types of assistance provided:
- 24-hour security
- Meal delivery
- Housekeeping, laundry, and maintenance
- Medication supervision
- Nursing and medical staff
- Transportation
3. Home Care
Home care is an option if you would like your loved one to remain in their home. You will need to provide care yourself or hire staff to meet his or her needs. Services you may need to hire include:
- A nurse or a nursing aide to provide medication management and medical care
- A personal-care assistant to provide help with personal hygiene, housekeeping, and meals
- Someone to run errands, pick up groceries, and drive your loved one to appointments
4. Nursing Home
A nursing home offers around-the-clock medical care and supervision. A nursing home is an option for those with serious medical needs. Your loved one's doctor may recommend this as an option if he or she has severe dementia, Alzheimer's, a heart condition, or any other medical issue.
Once you know the options, you can decide what's best for your loved one. Talk to a doctor today or visit senior-care facilities such as Paramount Parks At Eagle for more information.
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