Home for the Holidays: Signs Your Senior Loved One May Need Extra Help

OMAHA, Neb., Nov. 22, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The holidays are the best time of year for gathering with family and friends. And for those with older loved ones, the season not only creates an opportunity to reconnect, it also offers a chance to check-in on their health and well-being, taking note of any recent changes. Those changes may make living alone more difficult.

"Each year, our offices across the country see a spike in care inquiries following the holidays," said Lakelyn Hogan, gerontologist at Home Instead Senior Care. "This can be partially attributed to families coming together for the season after time away, and signs an older loved one may be needing more assistance are more apparent. Seniors oftentimes hide signs that indicate they need care out of a fear of losing their independence."

According to a recent survey¹ from Home Instead Senior Care, 94% of seniors have an overwhelming desire to age in their own home, but many need additional help to make this a reality. By recognizing common indicators, family members can better protect their loved ones while offering options that respect their independence. This may include professional assistance to ensure their loved one can remain in their home.

As the holidays approach, Hogan encourages families to be aware of the following signs that might indicate a loved one needs assistance:

• Appearance. Do their clothes seem rumpled, unwashed or have an unpleasant odor? Are they having difficulty dressing themselves or regularly doing laundry? Is their hair unkempt? Have they gained or lost a noticeable amount of weight?
• Mood. Do you notice any changes in their attitude? Do they seem easily agitated or unusually down? Are they leaving voicemails or sending text messages that seem out of the ordinary?
• Diet. Have their eating habits changed? Is there spoiled food in the refrigerator? Do they appear to only be eating easily prepared items like microwave dinners or junk food?
• Mobility. Are they having more trouble with stairs? Are their hands shaky or are they unstable on their feet? Do they need extra support when sitting or standing?
• Engagement. Do they seem disinterested or disengaged with family? Are they having difficulty keeping up with conversation? Do they appear to have trouble hearing?
• Memory. Are they having difficulty remembering names? Do they seem confused or overwhelmed? Take note of facial expressions after asking questions. Be mindful of medications that look untaken or bills that may be unpaid.

Identifying signs that could signal a need for assistance and arranging for care is important to ensure an older loved one can age in place safely and comfortably. For more information, visit CaregiverStress.com.

¹Home Instead, Inc., franchisor of the Home Instead Senior Care® network, fielded an online survey of 1,000 North American homeowners ages 55-75. Of these 1,000 respondents, 899 live in the United States and 101 live in Canada. Sampling was conducted to balance age, gender and geographic region. The survey was fielded between Nov. 21-30, 2018.

ABOUT HOME INSTEAD SENIOR CARE

Founded in 1994 in Omaha, Nebraska, the Home Instead Senior Care® franchise network provides personalized care, support and education to enhance the lives of aging adults and their families. Today, the network is the world's leading provider of in-home care services for seniors, with more than 1,200 independently owned and operated franchises that provide more than 80 million hours of care annually throughout the United States and 11 other countries. Local Home Instead Senior Care offices employ approximately 90,000 CAREGivers? worldwide who provide basic support services that enable seniors to live safely and comfortably in their own homes for as long as possible. Home Instead Senior Care franchise owners partner with clients and their family members to help meet varied individual needs. Services span the care continuum ? from providing personal care to specialized Alzheimer's care and hospice support. Also available are family caregiver education and support resources.

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SOURCE Home Instead Senior Care