Recognizing when a senior may need help at home.

The signs a senior loved one needs assistance at home can be obvious or they can appear gradually over time. After a lifetime of independence, it is hard for many aging parents to admit to needing help from their families while reduced function due to cognitive decline can go unnoticed for a long time, especially if the person lives alone.

Here are some of the signs that may indicate an older loved one needs extra help

• Falling behind or abandoning everyday activities and chores such as laundry, house cleaning, and paying bills.
• Deterioration of personal appearance points to problems with personal care and grooming.
• Weight loss and an empty refrigerator can indicate that cognitive or physical disability is limiting trips to the grocery store or the person's ability to cook adequately nutritious meals for themselves.
• Difficulty getting in and out of chairs without assistance or an unsteady gait when walking around the home. These are signs a person is at risk of falls and help is needed to ensure safe mobility and transfers.
• Loneliness, depression, and cognitive decline. These can all point to an unmet need for company, socialization, and meaningful activities.
• Most people recovering from an illness or returning home after a hospital stay or surgery will have some reduction in normal activities. However, for an older adult, this can be much more significant. Temporary help in the home can offer a bridge back to normal health and fitness.

Finding the right In-Home Caregiver in Takoma Park

Next, consider what the right caregiver looks like to you and/or your loved one. Trustworthy, compassionate, and dependable are all qualities a caregiver should have but are difficult to assess from direct questioning. Instead, think about the more challenging situations or scenarios that have arisen relating to you or your loved one's care and ask prospective caregivers how they would handle them. For example, 'sometimes mom refuses to let her caregiver into the house. How would you deal with that?' Look for an empathic response that guides a gentle, patient, and resourceful resolution. Consider any language accommodations you or your loved one may need and what common interests and activities you would like to share with a caregiver - playing board games or watching old movies.

On a more practical level, also consider any specific experience or training that will be needed. For example, if the person being cared for has cognitive impairment, their caregiver needs to have experience with dementia care and ideally certification in memory care training. Less mobile adults may need additional help getting in and out of chairs and bed and training in safe lifting, transferring and use of lifting equipment is a must! Does the caregiver drive, have a license and insurance, and be willing to take you or your loved one to doctors and other appointments as part of their care?

How can I trust a caregiver in my own or my loved one's home?

This question is top of mind for many people looking to hire a Takoma Park in-home caregiver especially as they or their loved ones will need to open the private space and many aspects of their private life to the caregiver. While problems such as dishonesty about work performed or theft of belongings do occur, these events are much rarer than you might think and the vast majority of caregivers are completely diligent and honest.

Before hiring a caregiver you don't personally know, ensure that they have been background checked by you or the company you are hiring from and that they have all training or licenses required by your state to work as a home care provider. At a minimum, caregiver background checks should include criminal background and sex offender checks. Have peace of mind that all OndeCare Heroes go through our rigorous vetting protocol, including two background checks, two interviews, credential verification, and we interview their professional references too.