Activities of Daily Living

True. In-home personal caregivers can absolutely assist with basic self-care tasks, or Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). If older adults decide to remain at home but are having difficulty with daily living tasks, they can benefit from in home personal care. The same is true for seniors at independent living or assisted living communities who need assistance after a hospital stay or extended illness.

Caregivers from state-licensed agencies provide the following services and more:

• Bathing and dressing assistance
  

  In-home personal caregivers can absolutely assist with basic self-care tasks, or Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). Learn more.

• Fall prevention
• Incontinence care
• Light housekeeping, laundry, cooking
• Medication reminders
• Errands and transportation, including escorting to social events and worship services
• Doctors’ appointments

Assess the Situation

Over time, the ability to perform Activities of Daily Living diminishes, especially as physical and cognitive functioning decline. What is the level of functioning of your senior? It is important to monitor the situation and inform the older adult’s physician of any physical or psychological behavior changes.

To help determine when an older adult might need assistance, the Department of Health and Human Services has compiled a list of 10 Warning Signs. Behaviors that indicate if in-home personal care is needed include:

• Changed eating habits, weight loss, loss of appetite
• Neglect of personal hygiene, including wearing dirty clothes and having body odor, neglected nails and teeth
• Neglect of their home, with a noticeable change in cleanliness and sanitation
• Physical problems, such as burns or injury marks, which may result from general weakness, forgetfulness, or misuse of alcohol or prescribed medications
• Decreased participation in activities that were once important to them, such attending religious services
• Exhibited forgetfulness, resulting in unopened mail, piling of newspapers, not filling their prescriptions, or missing appointments
• Mishandled finances, such as not paying bills, losing money, paying bills twice or more, or hiding money

Help The Caregiver Succeed

Issues of self-care are highly personal and involve the routines and rituals of daily life that have been established over a lifetime. In most cases, the older person will be the best judge of his or her own need for help with daily living. Help your in home caregiver succeed by including your family member in the process. This may help the older person avoid an intense sense of helplessness, resistance or resentment in their wellness journey.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring in-home senior care in Dallas, please contact the caring staff at Custom Home Care today. We offer Elder Care in Plano, TX and surrounding Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex areas. For information or to schedule a free assessment call us today at (972) 702-7988.