As your senior’s caregiver, it falls to you to be one of the first people to notice that she needs some extra help. Even as involved as you are with her care and well-being, you might need a little extra nudge about what issues could point to her needing some extra help. When you know what to look for, you can be better prepared to offer the help your senior needs.

Her Vision Is Worsening

Your elderly family member’s eyes are how she takes in information about the world around her. She can see obstacles, avoid them, and hopefully remain safer. When her vision starts to worsen, though, she’s not able to avoid obstacles and problems as easily. She might even become afraid and stop being as active as she has been.

Her Hearing Is Diminishing
Losing her hearing is just as difficult for your elderly family member as losing her vision can be. She might not realize hearing difficulties as quickly as she notices vision issues, though. The problem with hearing loss, especially if your senior lives alone, is that there are sounds like the doorbell that she might not be able to hear any longer.

Household Tasks Are Piling Up
When tasks and chores are becoming more difficult, it takes both more energy and more time for your senior to handle them. What that means is that she ends up allowing them to pile up a little more than they have in the past. Some tasks may be more labor-intensive for her than others are. You might also notice that she invites you over less often, which means that you don’t see the pile-up happening as readily.

Driving Is Becoming a Concern
You should be concerned about your senior’s ability to drive all the time, but when you’re noticing other issues, like vision problems, that is a reminder to double check how she’s handling driving. If she mentions that she’s not driving as often or that she’s making excuses why you can’t ride with her, these are both red flags.

What is most important about getting extra help for your elderly family member is that you are paying attention to how the changes in her life and in her health impact her overall quality of life. Elderly care providers can offer a wide range of assistance for her and for you, especially in areas you didn’t realize were becoming an issue.

Excerpt: You may not always know exactly what kind of help your senior needs but looking at some of the changes in her life can give you hints.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering Elderly Care in Slaton, TX, please contact the caring staff at Best In-Home Care (806) 412-0723.