Watching your parents age is a hard thing to do. A lot of people admire and find confidence in their parents. They may have raised you independently and never needed support around the home since they were self-sufficient. But as they get older, they lose strength in their muscles and bones, and the frailty that comes with aging can prevent them from doing certain things. For that reason, support is needed.
However, it’s not always easy for parents to admit when they need help. After all, no one enjoys being notified that they’re getting old. If you have a hard time finding answers, here are some important things to consider as you make important decisions for your folks and the services they may need most.
What Services Do Seniors Need Most?
As our parent’s age, they will begin having trouble with everyday activities such as food preparation, house cleaning, and personal care. So what can you expect as they get older? What are the tasks older people need help with the most? Here are a few of the required services that aging adults often need help with:
Transportation and Mobility
Most seniors experience a decline in mobility, and they get worn out more quickly, making it hard for them to go places. In addition to that, their vision and reactions will get worse, making things like driving unsafe for them. Fortunately, several types of long-term care services include transportation and everyday support with mobility when needed.
Medical Attention
Seniors may require medical attention for a variety of reasons. Doctor’s visits and eye care are needed, but other services, like physical or mental treatment, must also be maintained. In some circumstances, a facility or at-home assistant from companies like Karma Care can offer necessary assistance with tasks like medication and injection management.
Nutrition
Lack of nutrition is a lot more common among seniors. Difficulties with purchasing and preparing food can make it more challenging to meet dietary needs. As an added complication, some medications and health problems can cause changes in appetite, which can contribute to seniors skipping their meals.
For this reason, food and nutrition assistance is a highly sought-after service among the elderly. Services varying from in-home chefs to nutritional experts can help seniors obtain the necessary nourishment and other needs. Home care in Fairfax, VA, is an example of a service that can provide seniors with tailored meal plans and nutritional support to help them maintain their health and well-being.
Social Interaction
For many seniors, life can be ruined by a lack of companionship. A person’s emotional and physical welfare can be considerably improved when they have strong connections with other people. Aging adults can experience actual physical symptoms when they are lonely.
If you have a senior parent, it is essential to invest in a service that will allow them to maintain a healthy and balanced social life. This could be in the form of a caregiver who simply spends time with the senior or a transportation service that makes it easier for the senior to participate in social activities.
Personal Care
When a senior’s physical or mental health declines, so does their personal hygiene. Basic regimens for self-care, like washing, brushing one’s teeth, changing into clean clothes, and shaving, can become tiring or confusing.
And the only choice is to help them. However, sometimes an older person would instead get help taking a bath from a trained expert than a family member. It protects their privacy around loved ones. In these cases, in home personal care services can provide the support seniors need while allowing them to stay in the comfort of their own homes.
Final Thoughts
Taking care of your parents can be an overwhelming responsibility. Luckily, many resources and care options are available, including in-home care. Remember, you can assist your aging folks in keeping their health and freedom for as long as possible by identifying what they need and finding the best way to get it.
