Elder Care in The Villages Florida
We live in a very mobile society where families don’t always live in the same town or even the same state for that matter. We find this to be especially true in the great state of Florida where many “snowbirds” come to retire and their children are often unaware of mom and dad’s complete condition.
Unlike the “old days”, entire families throughout America don’t have the opportunity to come together as often as they would like. That’s why the holiday season has become an important time to take stock of our loved one’s health and everyday living capabilities. Family gatherings with loved ones from out of town, or even the more frequent family phone calls from long distance relatives, are a perfect time to ‘check up’ on seniors and elderly living on their own.
It is not uncommon for the adult children of seniors, especially the Baby Boomer generation, to have some concerns about how their parents are doing. In fact, according to the Family Caregiver’s Alliance, families provide 80 percent of the long-term care in this country. This holiday season while you are enjoying your visits or on the phone with your aging loved ones, make good use of your time by reviewing their living status.
In this next series on our blog we are going to cover some of the things you may want to take note of in deciding whether or a not a loved one might be a good candidate for senior in-home care. The following is part 1 in our 2 part series on identifying the needs of your senior and elderly family members who live alone.
Using Your Five Senses to Evaluate Status
Many holiday traditions tempt your five senses. These same senses can be put to use in evaluating the status of elderly family members. Below is a checklist using each of your five senses to determine if your family members are in need of additional care or assistance:
Sight – Looking at the senior’s appearance can be a sign that they are being limited either physically or mentally from completing otherwise normal daily tasks. Watch for things like clothes with stains, poor personal hygiene and a disorganized or dirty house.
Sound – Listening to what and how seniors speak can tell you a lot about their current mental status. You should not assume that “old age” is causing these problems. Do they call you by name? Are they speaking normally? Are they staying involved in outside activities?
Smell – Using your nose as an indicator to determine if your relative is bathing properly, cleaning their house or have spoiled food in their kitchen.
Taste – Tasting their food and sorting through their medications can help you determine if they are eating healthy or taking expired medications. Look at expiration dates and for fresh and stocked pantry items.
Touch – A simple hug can tell you if your family member is fragile or losing weight. Is their skin soft and the color normal? Do they have any bruising or tearing of the skin?
Take some time to make note of these things while with your senior and elderly loved ones this year. If you see that 3 out of 5 of your senses indicate that your family member could use some assistance contact us for a free consultation! As providers of senior home care and elderly assistance we can help you decide what level of care would be the best fit.
Comfort Keepers provides in-home care to seniors and the elderly living in Ocala, Gainesville, and The Villages Florida. We provide superior in-home care to seniors and the elderly throughout Central Florida so they can live enriched independent lifestyles! Call us today at 855-592-0013.
