Since moving out of town, you’ve made it an important priority to call Mom every Saturday afternoon, without exception. After catching up on local news, she always reassures you that she’s eating well, getting plenty of rest, taking her meds, and doing well.
However, visiting her in person for a week over spring break tells a different story. Her once immaculate kitchen is cluttered with junk mail and newspapers, with a sink full of food-encrusted dishes. The refrigerator contains spoiled and expired food. And most worrisome, there’s a scorch mark on the table by the oven.
For family members living a long distance away from their senior loved ones, these warning signs that in-home care may be needed are often only noticeable during in-person visits. Nora Jean Levine, executive director from Caring From a Distance, challenges adult children to, ‘Open your eyes. Try and really see what’s going on and not what you want to be going on.’ It’s important to assess both the home environment and the senior herself (for bruises that could indicate falls, signs of depression or confusion, and other personality changes). And in between visits, enlist the help of a friendly neighbor or an Aging Life Care professional to keep an eye on the senior.
Finally, the best way to trust that seniors are safe, secure, and happy is to partner with a professional home care agency, like Home Sweet Home In-Home Care. Providing such high-quality in-home care services as transportation, assistance with meals and housekeeping, medication reminders, and friendly companionship can make all the difference to a senior and his or her adult children. We offer a free in-home care assessment for you to see how we can best help your family members. Contact us to learn more!