Changing Elements That Your Home Health Aide Can Reassess
Posted on: 29 August 2017
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A home health aide whom you hire to care for your elderly parent will assess the parent's needs, discuss them with you, and formulate a plan together. Over time, however, these needs can change dramatically—perhaps not to the point that you need to begin thinking about moving your parent into a care home, but to the point that changes to the in-home care plan will be necessary. It's possible that you could miss some of these changes, especially if your parent isn't living with you. This is where the home health aide comes in extra handy. He or she can easily notice your parent's health changes and confer with you to reassess the needs for care. Here are some elements that may change.
Balance & Mobility
As your parent's health declines, he or she may not be able to get around as easily as when you first hired the home health aide. No one wants to see your parent fall—a fall could quickly send him or her to a care facility for the remainder of his or her life. When the home aide notices that balance and mobility have become an issue, he or she will reassess the condition and layout of the house and make some suggestions that you can implement. This to-do list could include putting up railings in several areas, and perhaps even installing a ramp outside.
Cognitive Confusion
A senior citizen's cognitive functioning can slip over time, and the home health aide may be among the first to notice this decline. While those with extreme issues, such as dementia, should typically be relocated into a care home, lesser instances can still precipitate the need for changes within the patient's home. The health aide will likely give you some suggestions about how to make the house safer; in some cases, childproof locks on the medicine cabinet or other areas will increase the likelihood of keeping your parent safe at home.
Self-Care Needs
Your parent may eventually struggle to care for himself or herself, and this is something that the home health aide will likely notice. Whether your parent has trouble bathing, needs help using the toilet, or even struggles to do his or her daily grooming, the aide will bring these details to your attention. This conversation will allow you to re-evaluate the caregiver's services and adjust them. For example, you may ask the aide to begin to help your parent with bathing, bathroom use, and grooming.
To learn more about your options, contact services like ActiveCare Home Care.