What Should You Look for in Your Senior to Know She’s Okay?

By Care Street Home Care Staff | May 15, 2020 | Comments Off on What Should You Look for in Your Senior to Know She’s Okay?

Checking on your senior is likely something that you’ve always done, but as her caregiver you may be doing this for a different reason. It’s vital to know that she’s okay and that she’s getting any help that she needs.

Cognitive Skills

If your conversations with your elderly family member seem a little different or off, that might be a sign that some things are changing for her cognitively. Other behavior changes, like repeating the same story over and over or forgetting how to get somewhere familiar, are also red flags.

Mobility and Physical Activity

How well does your senior get around in her home? If she’s having difficulty walking, there’s likely a reason for that. It’s important to figure out what might be going on. It’s also important to determine how physically active she’s being right now. If she’s still able to work out, that is a good sign. If she’s not, that might mean that she’s being a lot more sedentary than she was.

Socialization

It’s important also to pay attention to your senior’s social life. If she no longer mentions groups or friends that she was active with in the past, she may be avoiding social experiences now. You may need to dig deeper to figure out why that’s happening. Does your senior leave the house ever, or does she tend to stay at home? This is also an important detail.

Personal Hygiene

Has your senior’s approach to personal hygiene changed? It might not be incredibly obvious at first, but she may move from showering daily to taking a bath every few days. You may start to notice she’s doing her hair differently, especially if she’s not washing it as often. She could also start wearing the same clothes a few days in a row, or stop doing laundry.

Her Home

Are you noticing changes in your senior’s home itself? If she’s not able to keep up with regular housework, that can become obvious quickly. She may no longer be tidying her home as she did in the past or the house may be collecting obvious dust. Look for signs that your senior’s home is too much for her to manage right now and look for ways to help.

Talk to your elderly family member about your concerns. As her caregiver, you gain a lot of information from what you see and hear about her experiences, but it’s important that she talks with you openly about how she’s feeling and what’d going on in her life. That helps to foster a more open experience for both of you.

If you or an aging loved one is considering caregivers in Spotswood, NJ, please contact the caring staff at Care Street Home Care today. Call (732) 607-8870.

Care Street Home Care Staff
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