How To Tell If Your Senior Parent Needs Help

Many of our senior parents live independently and have healthy and full lives. It’s normal to worry about our parents as they age, and if you suspect your parent might need some help at home, it may be time to have a conversation with them. While senior parents can be notoriously resistant to accepting that they need some help, there may come a point when it’s necessary for their safety, their health, and for the whole family’s peace of mind.

Signs a Senior Needs Help at Home

Our team at UMC has put together this guide to help you determine if your parent may need home care services. Please contact us if you have any questions or need assistance. 

Difficulty Performing Activities of Daily Living

If you notice that your parent is starting to have trouble with daily activities like cooking, getting dressed, showering, using the bathroom, and even getting around from room to room, it may be time to talk to them about home care. People often think that home care is only for people who are seriously ill or incapacitated, but many seniors have home care help for daily activities.

Changes in Physical Function and Appearance

These changes include things like wearing dirty or stained clothing, weight loss from not eating properly or frequently enough, dirty or messy hair, untrimmed nails, a noticeable odor from not showering frequently, and bruises or scratches from falling or bumping into things. Pay close attention to your parent’s physical appearance and overall hygiene when you visit with them because these are often indicators that they are struggling at home. 

Changes in Behavior and Mental Status

If your senior parent has a full social life with many hobbies and interests, be on the lookout for any changes that may indicate their mental health is struggling. Things like failing to return your phone calls and text messages, a loss of interest in their hobbies, and no longer seeing their friends regularly may be red flags. We all go through mental health challenges in our lives and your senior parent may need some help. 

Neglecting Household Responsibilities

Keeping your house running involves a lot of responsibilities: paying the bills, cooking, cleaning, laundry, and keeping up with any other household repairs and maintenance. If you visit your parent’s home and notice anything out of the ordinary, like a pile of dishes in the sink, a stack of unpaid or unopened bills, or that their prescription medications haven’t been refilled, it’s time to have a conversation with them. You’ll need to learn more about what they’re struggling with to identify the areas family and home health aides can assist with.n. 

What happens next?

While it’s never an easy conversation to have, discussing home help with your senior parent is essential for their health, safety, and overall well-being. You can expect them to be resistant to the idea at first, but start the conversation sooner rather than later, and take the time to really listen to your parent and understand their concerns. 

Home health aides can greatly enrich your parent’s quality of life, and you’ll have peace of mind knowing that they are being cared for when you’re not able to be there. Keeping a clean and orderly home, staying on top of prescription medications, and regular assistance with things like shopping and cooking can go a long way in improving one’s mental health and minimizing physical safety risks. 

If you’d like more information about caring for your senior parent, or if you have any questions about in-home companions and aides, please contact our team at UMC today. We look forward to hearing from you!

Original content posted on https://umcommunities.org/blog/how-to-tell-if-your-senior-parent-needs-help/

3 Things Every Family Should Know About Hospice Care

If someone you love is about to enter hospice care, you and your family may have questions about what will happen, what hospice care includes, and how the process works. Hospice care is a type of palliative care for people with terminal illnesses, and the aim is to provide the person with the highest levels of comfort and dignity during their final months. 

Hospice care can be provided in the home by a dedicated hospice care team, or in a long-term care community if the person is no longer able to remain in their home. The choice to remain at home or move to a community is a personal one, and it’s often a decision the whole family makes together. In this article, our hospice care team will explain several key components of hospice care to help you and your family make the best decision for your loved one.

Hospice care is for everyone involved

When someone in your family is diagnosed with a terminal illness, it greatly affects the whole family. While it may seem that the immediate purpose of hospice care is to provide medical care to the person who has been diagnosed, hospice care teams actually work to ease the difficulties the whole family faces. 

Caring for someone with a terminal illness can become both mentally and physically draining. In-home care can lighten the load for family members who have become full-time caregivers by monitoring medication, assisting with routine care, and making sure your loved one is as comfortable as possible. Hospice care teams can also provide valuable resources for emotional and spiritual support, if needed, and keep the family up to date about next steps and expectations. 

Hospice care is provided in the location of your choice 

The top priority of hospice care is the comfort of the terminally ill person. Hospice care teams provide care in your loved one’s home, in assisted living communities, and in dedicated hospice care communities. There are many reasons a terminally ill person may want to remain at home, and equally, there are many reasons why that may not be the best choice for them. 

We recommend making the decision together with your loved one and with the rest of your family. Dedicated hospice care teams will meet you where you are to provide medical care, monitor and administer medications, and help create a comfortable, peaceful environment for your loved one. 

Medication and medical supplies are included within hospice care

Millions of families worry about how they’ll afford hospice care for their loved one. The good news is that hospice care is covered by Medicare, and medication and medical supplies are included in the hospice benefit. 

Some of the most common medical supplies are bandages, incontinence supplies, walking aids, wheelchairs, and hospital beds. These supplies and any medications will be delivered to your home for free, and the hospice care team will teach you how to use everything. 

You deserve to spend precious time with your loved one instead of worrying about trips to the pharmacy for medication and supplies. And thanks to the hospice benefit, you can do just that. Your hospice team will also be there to help relieve the burdens that come from being a caregiver, so you can focus on the valuable time you have left together. 

If you’d like more information about hospice care, or if you have any questions about any of our hospice care communities at UMC, please contact our team today or visit our website at: https://umcommunities.org/

Original content posted on https://umcommunities.org/blog/3-things-every-family-should-know-about-hospice-care/