Set Your Loved One Up For Success In the New Year With Key Resources, Including Home Health Care For Seniors
If you’re visiting an elderly family member for the first time in a while, you have an important perspective to offer.
Family members who live close by may not be able to recognize the gradual changes in your loved one’s condition and circumstances. But you can.
You play a critical role in noticing what seems to be going well and what may need improvement in your loved one’s care, so they can continue to experience high quality of life at home.
As you visit, keep the following guidance in mind, so you can be a voice for change when it’s needed, whether your loved one needs home health care services or another solution.
What to Look For When Visiting a Loved One During the Holidays
Making observations about your loved one will go a long way in identifying the kind of support they may need going forward.
These signs may indicate that your loved one needs a higher level of care than they’re currently receiving:
- Appearance: Does your loved one look different to you? Have they lost or gained a significant amount of weight? Are they practicing good hygiene, either independently or with regular help? Are they dressing for the right weather?
- Cognition: Does your loved one seem more confused or distracted? Are they more forgetful? Does their personality seem different to you?
- Mobility: How is your loved one doing with walking or moving from room to room? Do they trip and fall more easily?
- Mood: Does your loved one seem more irritable, sad, agitated, or lonely?
Ensure You’ve Noticed Your Loved One’s Routine and Quality Of Life,
Keep in mind that it’s not just your loved one’s physical, mental, and emotional state that you should observe. While you’re visiting, consider what your loved one’s day looks like and their current lifestyle:
- Their home: Is your loved one’s home being cared for? Are regular daily chores being done? Is the environment healthy for your loved one?
- Routine: Does your loved one have a daily routine they can look forward to? Are there opportunities for socializing, fresh air, movement, and more?
- Independence: In what ways does your loved one exercise their independence? Can they bathe or shower alone? Can they cook for themselves? Can they leave the home to run errands?
- Medical care: Does your loved one have access to the medical care they need? Are prescriptions being filled on-time? Does your loved one need someone to help them take their medicine or administer treatments?
How to Respectfully Make Observations About Your Loved One’s Care
Remember to spend quality time with your loved one first and make observations second. This approach allows you to stay present for a meaningful visit without feeling stressed about what you may discover. If there is something important to address, it will likely present itself clearly.
After you’ve considered the aforementioned signs, consider these questions about how to address what you’ve noticed:
- Am I the right person to bring up the need for change with my loved one?
- Is it better if I bring up what I’ve noticed to a trusted family member?
- Are any of my observations my preferences or opinions, or are they actual challenges that need to be solved to
- What is the most caring way to talk about my observations?
- Do I need more guidance or support about how to communicate my perspective?
- Am I able to help resolve the issues I’ve noticed, or will another family member need to take on the
help my loved one feel happy and healthy?
responsibility?
Remember that communicating about a person’s care is directly related to their dignity and pride, not to mention their feelings about their independence and life as a person with medical challenges. If other family members who may serve as caregivers, either regularly or intermittently, you could be bringing up challenges they’re also aware of doing their best to address.
Reflect on the best approach before you communicate, so you have the best chance of being effective and helping your loved one. Empathy and compassion should guide every decision you make when considering how to communicate what you’ve observed.
Noticing That Change Is Needed? Here Are Your Options, Including Home Health Care
If you and other family members determine that your loved one requires more support than they are actually receiving, you have many options.
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Family caregiving: Your loved one may not yet have all the support they need from family members who are available to provide care. Family caregivers fulfill many responsibilities to help loved ones maintain their independence at home. Some families develop a schedule and work shifts to visit and help a loved one, while others rely on family members with more flexible schedules to provide care.
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Seek out a home health care provider: Home health care services are available for those who meet certain requirements. To get home health care for a senior or any age group, your loved one must meet these two criteria:
- They require skilled care from a nurse, physical, speech, or occupational therapist, as determined by their physician.
- Your loved one is homebound, meaning they have a condition that prevents them from leaving the house without support, such as the assistance of a person, supportive device, or special transportation.
If your loved one meets these criteria, they can receive skilled nursing, visits from their
physical, speech, or occupational therapist, and even a medical social worker. Home health care provides some support your loved one may need.
- Private duty care: Check with your home health care provider about additional personal care services that can benefit your family member. Private duty care provides caregiving support for your loved one in two-hour blocks, up to 24/7 care. These services allow family caregivers to take a break and attend to other responsibilities, while a private duty caregiver helps your loved one with the tasks of daily living.
Your Concern For Your Loved One’s Care Matters!
When you visit your loved one during the holidays, you hope that all will be well, and you can simply enjoy spending time with them. However, these visits often reveal that more needs to be done to ensure your loved one’s quality of life is as high as possible.
The fact that you are willing to take action to support your loved one is a blessing. Family members and friends like you are the true gifts of the holiday season. No one deserves to struggle or suffer at home without the resources they need to thrive and feel well.
Your care, concern, and compassion can set your loved one on a new path forward. Continue to learn more about the role you play, beginning with this article on ways to support your loved one while they receive care.
