When to Hire Professional for Supportive Home Care

When it comes to our loved ones, it can be difficult to recognize when they may need extra help. As you spend time with them, it’s important to be aware of signs and symptoms that indicate your loved one may benefit from professional in-home care in addition to non-professional caregiver duties.

You may have noticed some memory changes as you have gotten older. Some of these memory changes are normal age changes. But just because they are changes associated with aging, it doesn’t mean that you can’t do anything about them. In fact, there are many things that you can do to reduce memory errors. Learning some simple ways to modify your memory behavior can help you improve your everyday memory.

Here are some signs to look for when visiting your loved ones:

Signs That Your Loved One May Need Professional In-Home Care Support

Having trouble with daily tasks
Is your loved one having difficulty performing everyday tasks, such as bathing, dressing, grooming, or preparing food?

Professional in-home care providers such as Prime Horizon can assist with these tasks to ensure your loved one’s daily needs are met. Unlike home health care, which is provided in one’s home to treat a particular illness or injury, this type of in-home care is aimed at assisting an individual with their daily living activities, and is typically private pay. While cost-prohibitive for some, for others in-home care allows your loved one to remain in place – in their own home or the home of their non-professional caregiver – and eliminates costs associated with a live-in facility.

Noticeable physical changes

Are there signs of physical decline, such as:

• Weight loss
• Pain
• Or a change in mobility?

These noticeable signs of decline may be attributed to a variety of causes. In many cases it’s best to get a professional evaluation to help determine what level of in-home care may be appropriate, from private pay professional assistance with activities of daily living, to interdisciplinary hospice, or palliative services which may be covered by Medicare or Medicaid. Your primary care physician, a gerontologist or a geriatric case manager (if dealing with seniors) may be helpful in determining levels of need.

Experiencing cognitive issues

Is your loved one showing signs of cognitive decline, such as:

• Memory problems
• Changes in mood or personality
• Confusion
• Disorientation
• Or delirium?

If your loved one is diagnosed with a progressive disease like dementia, your in-home care team can work with you and your loved one to develop a treatment plan that empowers them to navigate these challenges from the comfort of their home.

Becoming isolated

Has your loved one stopped engaging in activities they would typically enjoy, like meeting up with friends or visiting family?

In addition to the companionship provided by family and friends serving as caregivers, professional in-home care providers can help alleviate social isolation. These providers can identify and address the reason your loved one is abstaining from social activities (physical or mental), remind them when they have social engagements, furnish transportation to and from social events, and provide companionship services.

Living conditions becoming unkempt

Is your relative’s house becoming messy or cluttered as compared to its usual state? Depending on the person, this may look like laundry accumulating for multiple weeks on end, dishes being left in the sink for days, excessive, visible dirt inside living spaces, or items piling up in walkways that should be kept clear. The changes may even be more subtle depending on the individual’s previous baseline. This can be a lesser-known indicator of the need for additional support. The private duty in-home care professionals at Prime Horizon can help with housekeeping and home maintenance to ensure your loved one’s home stays clean and safe to navigate. 

Refusal to accept help from family or friends

Is your loved one refusing to accept help from family or friends? This refusal may be direct with an outright no, or may manifest as the individual continually pushing action into the future. Often, your loved one may be refusing help because they are unaware of their symptoms and think they don’t need it, or because they don’t want to place a burden on those around them. This can be a good point for in-home care providers to step in and deliver the care your loved one needs. Many family or non-professional caregivers are already spread thin, balancing their other responsibilities and time spent with their loved one. 

Recognizing it is Time to Get Professional In-home Support

If you notice any of these signs, it might be time to consider in-home care for your relative. The extra support can help improve your loved one’s quality of life, and ensure their needs are met while giving you peace of mind that their health is being monitored while they remain in the place where they feel the most comfortable.

If your loved one requires a level of help that goes beyond what a non-skilled care provider can offer – in other words, has a medical need – it may be appropriate to explore a higher level of skilled care, ranging from home health to hospice care, depending on the individuals’ needs and prognosis.

With planning and support, older adults can often continue living independently.

How Can We Help?

If you or a loved one may benefit from supportive home care, contact Prime Horizon today to arrange an assessment.
Call us at (262) 235-8018.

We welcome your call:
Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM

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