Young caregiver comforting elderly woman in nursing home

For those that are elderly in your life, there comes a point that you may consider getting them some additional help. This may look like hiring in-home care, moving in with a family member, or living at an assisted living center. No matter your choice for your loved one, they are sure to be well taken care of. There are a few different reasons that you may decide that your loved one needs an extra hand in their life. Finding what works best for you and your loved one may take a little more time but you want to be sure that it is what is best for them. Whether their mental health, physical health, or a combination is deteriorating there is a solution. 

Mental Health 

Mental health is a common factor in why assistance may be needed in your loved ones’ life. They could be forgetting things such as names, places, or people. Especially if they are forgetting things that are a large part of their life. Such as their children’s names or where they live. If they have an advanced form of dementia such as Alzheimer’s, they could even forget who their spouse is and think that a stranger is in their home. When their memory starts to decrease, it can be dangerous for them to be left alone in their homes. Another piece of mental health that can cause a need for extra care is depression or anxiety. It can be hard to live alone or feel that you don’t have much of a social aspect in your life anymore. For that reason, having some extra help can be great for them to be able to socialize more with those that are helping. 

Physical Health

As our bodies age, they tend not to work as well as they once did. It is a natural part of life but can be hard to watch and even harder for your loved one who still wants to be able to do things on their own. This is something that is out of their control but is a hard adjustment for them as they could still have a very healthy mind. Once they are not able to prepare their own meals, bathe themselves, or go to the bathroom without help it is vital to their health that they get a little extra assistance. For some, it can be hard to accept help because they feel that they are capable of doing things on their own. But this does not mean that they can. If they do not have the physical strength or means to cook 3 meals a day it can be imperative to their health. Another crucial part of being physically able is to ensure they are taking their medications as often as needed. Many take medication for blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, and more so if they are not taking their medication it can have a negative impact on their body. 

What Best for Them 

There are times when your loved one is impacted mentally and physically. In these cases, it is crucial that they are getting the extra help they need. No matter what your loved one is going through, there is a way to help them. Getting in-home care, moving in with a family member, or living in an assisted living facility. Whatever you choose, they will be getting the help that they need.

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