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Deciding if Care at Home is Right For Your Loved One

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care at home

Making decisions about an elderly loved one can be difficult.

There often comes a time when we must decide if our loved one might need a little extra care at home. One of the last things that we want is to take away our aging loved one’s independence. (S)he seems to be getting along fine on his/her own but you worry. So how do you decide if care at home is the right choice?

Here are a few questions you should ask yourself when making that decision:

Is your loved one getting all the care he/she needs when they need it?

Oftentimes, it is neccessary for an elderly person to be on a specific diet or certain medications. If you find that mom or dad is becoming forgetful when it comes to meeting specific criteria in his/her life it might be time to think about in-home care. A professional home care expert will make sure to remind your loved one to take any necessary medication and make sure he/she adheres to any diet restrictions.

Is housework becoming too difficult to handle?

If your loved ones’ home has turned from neat-as-a-pin to just falling short of a pig pen, it might be time to consider home care. An aging adult may find it more difficult to keep up with housework. There’s nothing worse than an aging loved one being too embarassed to have visitors because he/she can no longer keep up with household chores. An experienced home care expert can help bring pride back to your loved one and his/her home.

Are you worried when you are away from your loved one?

If you find yourself worrying about your loved one while you are away it may be time to consider care at home. Nobody can tend to someone 24 hours a day. It is exhausting and unrealistic. As the adult child, your life must go on and there’s a good chance that you have other responsibilities. If you have a job or a family of your own there’s a good chance that finding the time to check on mom or dad is challenging. Do you worry that your loved one is hindered with forgetfulness or has limited physical capabilities? If so, it is time to consider care at home.

Making decisions about an elderly loved one can be difficult. If you are faced with tough decisions about your aging loved one we can help ease your mind. To talk more about this, or anything else, please Contact Us.

Elder Care Phoenix: Dealing with Senior Weight Loss

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Weight loss is a serious concern for many seniors. Various medical conditions can lead to a loss in appetite, and cognitive concerns such as Alzheimer’s disease can make it difficult for your senior to understand hunger and the need to eat. A reduced compulsion to eat can quickly lead to malnutrition and serious weight loss. This is something that needs to be addressed promptly in order to protect the ongoing health and well-being of your loved one. If you are noticing that your senior loved one has been losing weight rapidly, discuss your concerns with his physician. If your loved one was seriously overweight prior to this weight loss, the physician may they that this weight loss is fine as long as the senior continues to feel healthy and is behaving in ways that you would describe as being consistent with his personality and character. If your senior has lost extreme amount of weight, however, didn’t need to lose weight in the first place, or is lethargic or doesn’t seem like “him”, this weight loss can be cause for concern.

Addressing senior weight loss can be as easy as modifying the senior’s diet. One side effect of aging is loss of the ability to smell and taste, which can greatly reduce the compulsion to eat. By introducing foods with very strong sense and flavors, you can make the experience of eating more satisfying, therefore making your senior more willing to eat regularly. If a specific medical concern, medication or other problem is causing your senior to not be able to maintain his body weight, you may need to find creative ways to introduce more calories into his diet. Many doctors recommend using meal replacement shakes and boosting their nutritional content by adding extra protein powder. These shakes cannot only replace meals for seniors who have difficulty eating solid food, but can also act as supplements to a regular diet. The liquid nature of the shakes is easier for many seniors to consume, and the sweet flavors tend to be very appealing.

Make sure that you discuss with your senior your concerns over his weight loss. Ask him what types of foods she would like to eat, and if there is anything else you could do to help stimulate his appetite. Make sure that you are not sacrificing a well-balanced diet simply for bulk, because as much more important that he gets the nutrition that he needs then it is that he eats a large amount.

When researching options for elder care Phoenix, AZ call us at (480) 535-6800. Home care counselors at Endeavor Home Care are available to talk with you about your in-home care needs including how to reduce caregiver stress while providing better, affordable care. We are an elder care agency providing elder care Phoenix, AZ.