Does your loved one need help at home?

If you’re reading this, you may already know the mission of Interfaith Caregivers:

Our mission is to help Older Adults living in our Community remain independent in their own homes for as long as possible.

So how do we do this? and how do family members know at what point they or their loved one will need some help to “remain independent in their own homes?”

Caregiver consultants at Interfaith, like other people at clinics, hospitals, Medicare, Human Services, and senior facilities all use a handy list called the Activities of Daily Living. This list is used to determine anything from a medical procedure to placement in a full care facility for someone with major health problems.

This list can also be very handy for the average person, who may be wondering if Mom really needs to have someone come in to clean her house regularly, or if she’ll need a health care aide to come in after surgery, for example. Problems performing those activities of daily living are a quick checklist to determine just how much help Mom needs.

For example, can she make it to the bathroom and back by herself? Can she dress herself from head to toe in the morning, and get ready for bed by herself? Basically, anything a person needs to do to eat, take care of personal hygiene, and get around in the home in the course of the day is included.

Of course, caregivers usually notice more changes in their loved one than those very obvious signs. We are often called in by caregivers who notice other, more subtle changes. Perhaps the house smells, there are unexplained bruises, missed appointments, or garbage accumulating in the house. All those tell a story of a senior’s life right now.

If you see changes in a loved one’s home, or physical or mental changes, it may be time to discuss some help. Call Interfaith to discuss what you see, and together we can look at these needs to come up with a plan for you. In the meantime, use these articles to help you determine what needs are there.

Activities of Daily Living Defined
How to Determine an Aging Parent Needs Help at Home