Is it Time to Find Help at Home?
The time for more help can happen even if your family member is still at home and even if he or she never has needed hospitalization. For example, what happens if you notice some unusual differences in your family member's living conditions or behavior?
Here are tips to help you decide if it's time to get more help.
- Look around the house.
- Are unpaid bills piling up?
- Is the house becoming cluttered?
- Is food spoiling in the refrigerator?
- Has the stove ever been turned on and left unattended?
- Look closely and objectively at your family member. Are they...
- Losing or gaining excessive amounts of weight?
- Needing help with bathing, dressing, or grooming?
- Taking medications as prescribed, or are they finishing prescription medications too quickly or not taking them at all?
- Not as interested in reading, watching TV, or keeping in contact with friends?
- Less interested in life in general?
- Showing signs of extreme forgetfulness, confusion or disorientation? Do they lose their way to or from a destination?
These are all warning signs that all is not well and some assistance is needed.