Although many families struggle to face the topic, those with elders must discuss senior care options. But where does one even start? If you and other family members notice signs of deteriorating health in your senior, make time to discuss the problems, care options, and your loved one’s concerns. Doing so provides an ideal opportunity to suggest elder home care services.
For professional treatment options in Caroline County, MD, turn to Coastal Home Care. We offer personalized, in-home services for seniors throughout Maryland and Delaware. Our certified care team delivers general elder care, hospice support, medication management, and more. You can even read through client testimonials to get a better understanding of our work. For more information, schedule a consultation with our care team today!
Below, we describe how you can discuss home care services with your senior loved one:
Symptoms of Struggling Seniors
America’s elderly population is growing. According to the Census Bureau, the number of Americans aged 65 years and older was almost 53 million in 2019. At this rate, 20% of the nation’s population will reach retirement age by 2030. As a result, a great amount of resources on aging and senior health care exists.
Many such materials describe indicators of seniors struggling to live alone. For instance, frequent bruising may indicate a loss of motor skills or strength for basic tasks like cooking and cleaning. Also, incontinence suggests that your senior cannot get to their bathroom or control their bowel movements.
Problems can also come in the form of mental signs. A loss of short-term memory, for instance, may foretell the onset of dementia. Similarly, a general decline in mental health–appearing in the forms of mood swings, frustration, and more–may result from general aging processes.
Problems to Discuss
When it comes time to discuss your senior’s struggles due to aging and potential care problems, expect certain topics to arise. For instance, there’s a significant chance that your senior must stop driving. Although most do not wish to give up such mobility and independence, seniors with mental and physical handicaps cannot safely operate a vehicle.
You should also broach the topic of trusts and wills if your senior has significant assets. While estate planning is complex and—oftentimes—melancholy, neglecting it can lead to expensive, drawn-out legal complications after your loved one’s death.
Most important of all, you should discuss long-term care with your family and elder. If the latter has chronic or developing health issues, they should make their wishes known before their condition deteriorates. Moreover, the topic provides your best opportunity to discuss at-home care. By researching services and interviewing candidates beforehand, you can approach the conversatio with forethought and judgment.
Home Care FAQs
As you begin your conversation about professional home care, assure your loved one that their well-being is the priority. Many folks find it helpful to emphasize this point before difficult topics like money and limitations come up. Remember, you and your family share a goal: preserving your senior’s health.
Discuss the types of home care available. Coastal offers partial, short-term, and long-term services, each designed for different needs and living situations. You should also check whether additional options—such as medication management or memory care—are worthwhile.
Also, speak to your loved one’s concerns about home care professionals. Several widespread beliefs exist about caregivers: they don’t have concern for their patients, they offer inferior services to staff at facilities, and so on. We encourage people to look at our website and check our staff’s qualifications so they may rest assured they’ll receive the highest quality support for their seniors.
Elder Home Care Services Available in Caroline County, MD!
While your elderly loved ones may not want to discuss elder home care options, they stand to benefit from these services. Your family can reach out to Coastal Home Care for at-home support across Caroline County, MD. Coastal’s staff offers personalized care for seniors through elder services, Alzheimer’s and dementia treatment, medication management, and more. For more information, call our Maryland line today at (410) 572-5606 or visit our website and request a consultation!