Five Signs That It Is Time To Enroll In Senior Care

The need to ensure good health care and finding the perfect living arrangements for you or a loved one is vital. What may seem like a simple conversation about the next steps in an individual’s living arrangements can be very challenging in some cases. Therefore, recognizing the warning signs of the need for senior care is crucial in evaluating you or a loved one’s needs. Physicians often state that there are many warning signs that may indicate if an elderly person needs senior care and none of them should be taken lightly. Instead of overwhelming yourself with what seems like an impossible conversation, review this list of the top warning signs that can make or break your decision when trying to determine if it is time to enroll in senior care.

Bizarre Behavior:

One of the many warning signs to look out for when determining if your loved one needs senior care is a change in behavior. These behaviors include, but are not limited to: inappropriate dressing and grooming, disregard to hygiene, forgetting meals, delusions and paranoia. Fortunately, these conditions can be controlled with medication and therapy treatments through a senior care facility of your choice.

Disorientation:

The need for senior care may become more apparent when a loved one does not know where he or she is, unaware of who their family is or talking to people who are not there. According to Healthline, “Two common causes of disorientation are delirium and dementia.” If you discover that your loved one is disoriented, consider tracking their medical history, making their surroundings familiar and providing reassurance by staying close to them.

Forgetfulness:

Changes in memory can affect paying bills, missing doctors’ appointments and more general information like names, addresses, phone numbers and meals. According to NCBI, “Memory loss often signifies loss of independence,” which usually leaves seniors agitated. Good memory care stimulates the mind and offers gentle encouragement for seniors struggling with forgetfulness. Memory care facilities provide services that are needed to help ensure that you or a loved one continues to be a safe and comforting place.

Injury Marks from Falls:

Unsafe areas can become hazardous to seniors dealing with the effects of early dementia or Alzheimer’s. Doors without railings, dim lighting, clutter around walkways and unreachable items can cause your loved one to fall and become injured. Installing handrails, grab bars, ramps and new light bulbs can prevent falls in the home of seniors. Not to mention, enrolling in senior care can assist in preventing falls by keeping your loved one physically active, making sure his/her eyesight and hearing gets tested periodically, and provide assistance when walking on unfamiliar surfaces or uneven surfaces.

Medication Errors:

Failure to take medication or even overdosing can be a result of misunderstanding doctors’ orders, confusion or even forgetfulness. NBCI states that, “Medication use in older adults is often inappropriate and erroneous, partly because of the complexities of prescribing.” With this in mind, you or a loved one should look into more attention and care from either the prescribing physician or a caregiver. Senior care facilities are able to combat medication errors through an electronic health and medication record system providing better outcomes through a collaborative approach between the caregiver and physician.

Whether it’s assisted living, adult day care, memory care, home care or hospice care, there are many things to look out for when determining if you or a loved one needs senior care. Our Regional Executive Director, Charlene Himes notes that, “At Spring Hills, we do our best to place ourselves into the shoes of our family members by understanding the hard times that they’ve been going through and giving them piece of mind that their loved one will be safe with us. Whether it took one warning sign or many, we understand that all experiences are unique, and we do our best to accommodate every individual family’s needs.” At Hills Senior Communities, we provide customized care and understand that the best type of care is care that meets the needs of an individual’s mind, body, and spirit.