If your older parents would like to continue living at home, then they are probably going to require some additional care. If you decide to be the one to provide that care for them, it can often be too much to handle by yourself. When this time comes, you may want to consider investing in in-home health services for some assistance. Here are a few signs that your elderly parents need home health.
They Have Frequent Accidents
It is not at all uncommon for senior citizens to have an accident every once in a while. However, if your elderly parent has multiple accidents, especially ones where you have to take them to the hospital with related injuries, they require additional help in the home. Statistics show that 25 percent of senior citizens in America fall annually, and an elderly adult will die from a fall every 19 minutes. Therefore, these accidents are serious, and it is important that you take action to keep your parents safe.
They Are Not Consuming a Healthy Diet
When you visit your parents, you may notice that there isn't a lot of food, unhealthy food, or spoiling food in their fridge. Alternatively, you may notice that they're losing weight. It isn't uncommon for senior citizens to find it difficult to cook for themselves, but unfortunately, this can lead to various nutritional deficiencies. If you are unable to be there all the time, hiring a home health nurse can be beneficial. He or she can ensure that your parents are getting the nutrition that they need by cooking healthy meals in proper portions.
They Are Having Memory Issues
Research shows that roughly 40 percent of individuals over the age of 65 will suffer from age-related memory problems, and one percent of those individuals will end up getting dementia. While it is completely fine for your elderly parents to have some slip-ups with their memory, such as forgetting where they put the TV remote or their eyeglasses, more serious memory issues like mixing up words, misplacing items in strange places, asking the same question repeatedly, etc. are things to keep an eye out for. When memory-related issues begin to arise, your parents require someone to come in and help take care of them.
If you have elderly parents and have noticed any of these signs, you may want to consider home health care. For more information, reach out to a home health agency in your area.
