As your parents age, balancing your natural worry for their health and well-being with the realities of your busy schedule and other responsibilities can be challenging. While putting them in an aged care facility or residential home might not always be feasible or desirable, you still want to ensure they receive the care and support they need to maintain their independence and quality of life.
Luckily, home care services offer a solution to allow your loved ones to receive specialised care at home. At-home support workers for the elderly are trained to provide personalised care and support to meet the specific needs of your parents, whether they require assistance with activities of daily living, medication management, or specialised care for chronic medical conditions.
The question is, when is the right time to take in the help of Australian home care services?
Signs indicating your parents need home care nursing services
Difficulty with Activities of Daily Living
It may be necessary to consider personal care services for the elderly if your loved one has difficulty dressing, using the bathroom, or showering. With the assistance of a home care support worker, your loved one can receive support with these daily tasks while maintaining their dignity and privacy.
Australian home care services for the elderly also include grooming and hygiene support. These services are tailored to the specific needs of your parents, helping them maintain their independence and get quality living with personal care services for the elderly.
Chronic Medical Conditions
A home care nurse can provide specialised care and support to help manage chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and dementia. They can oversee medication management, monitor vital signs, and provide education and resources to help your parents better understand and manage their conditions.
Not Eating Well
Poor nutrition can significantly impact your parents’ overall health and well-being and increase their risk of various health problems. Australian home care services can assist with meal preparation and monitoring your parents’ nutrition and hydration if they struggle with meal preparation or other issues. They can also help with grocery shopping and meal preparation, ensuring your parents have access to healthy and nutritious foods.
Frequent Hospitalisations
In-home care for the elderly can provide valuable assistance if your parents are frequently hospitalised due to illness or injury. A home care nurse can provide skilled nursing care, medication management, wound care, and other services to help your parents recover and regain their strength.
Balance and Coordination Problems
Your parents may also be experiencing mobility issues due to conditions such as arthritis or Parkinson’s disease. Without the necessary attention and safety features, they may suffer from severe bruising, head trauma, and fractures due to falls.
A home care support worker can provide personalised care and support, including fall prevention strategies and exercises to improve balance and coordination. They can also assist with mobility devices, ensuring your parents can move around safely and confidently.
Caregiver Burnout
It’s natural for caregivers to have thoughts like, “my elderly mother is consuming my life.” This can be a symptom of caregiver burnout, which results from the prolonged stress of caring for a loved one with chronic illness or age-related problems.
A home care provider can take on some major responsibilities, providing respite care and support to ensure you can take a break and recharge.
Cognitive Decline
Managing your loved one’s care needs can become even more challenging if they have dementia or Alzheimer’s. These conditions can also cause behaviour, mood, and personality changes that are difficult to manage.
Home care services can provide cognitive stimulation activities designed to help slow the progression of cognitive decline and improve your parents’ quality of life. A home care nurse can also provide regular check-ins to assess your loved one’s well-being and alert you to changes requiring additional medical attention.
Social Isolation or Loneliness
If your parents are experiencing social isolation or loneliness, addressing these issues as soon as possible is essential. Your parents can maintain their relationships and participate in meaningful activities with the help of home care support workers.
In addition to providing companionship, home care support workers can help your parents maintain relationships with friends and family. They can assist with phone calls, letter writing, or even arranging visits with loved ones.
Difficulty Taking Medication
The home care nurse can work with your parents’ healthcare provider to set up a medication management plan tailored to their needs. It might involve organising Websters packs, and setting reminders for when to take medications, or providing assistance with administering medications to improve health outcomes and reduce the risk of complications.
Extreme Moodiness
It’s common for your ageing parents to experience mood changes for various reasons, such as health issues, medication side effects, or social isolation. However, they may require additional support if their mood swings significantly impact their daily lives and relationships.
A home care worker can work with your parents to identify triggers for their mood swings and develop coping strategies to manage difficult emotions.
In Conclusion
If you have noticed any of the above signs in your ageing parents, it may be time to consider getting your parents assessed by the team My Aged Care by calling 1800 200 422 . Regardless of your loved one’s age, they deserve the best possible quality of life, and once they are on a Home Care Package or Commonwealth Home Support Package, we can help you find the support your parents need.
Find In Home Care providers to help your parents live safely and comfortably at home through Aged Care Made Easy’s Online Directory. Our goal is to make it simple for you to navigate the Australian aged care system and find the best home care provider for your parents. Find home care providers on our online directory.