Many of us who think about getting older begin to think about what we might need help with. We might easily imagine that we’ll need help carrying in a heavy box, or need an arm to hold onto as we cross a patch of ice. We might envision loved ones helping us with transportation needs or even coming with us to the doctor to help us understand all of the new medical terms thrown our way. Your elderly loved one has probably mentally prepared himself for care from you in those same aspects, but sometimes the care needed is so personal that an elderly person has a hard time asking a family member for help. This is where hiring personal care providers can help in these situations.
What Makes it Personal?
Depending on your elderly loved one, different aspects of care that he needs may be too personal for him to ask his child, whom he raised, to help him with. He might feel ashamed or embarrassed to have his “child” see him unable to perform some personal care tasks on his own. As his caregiver, you might even feel a little uncomfortable with some of those personal care responsibilities and wonder how you can do them while maintaining the relationship you desire to have with your loved one.
The truth is, the level of how and when a care need becomes too personal to share with a family member is different for every family.
How To Know When Personal Care Needs Aren’t Being Met
As a caregiver, you might need to become a detective to determine if your loved one has personal care needs that aren’t being met and will require someone to step in and help with personal care at home.
Some signs to watch for regarding your loved one can include:
Does he seem to smell worse than normal? If your loved one is unable to bathe properly at night, is having trouble wiping himself clean after using the toilet, or is even struggling to brush his teeth, he might begin to smell a little funky. Areas that are not cleaned well and consistently can grow bacteria that begin to emit a sour or nasty smell that is unpleasant to others.
Are areas of his body unclean? Look at his fingernails, his feet, his teeth, behind his knees, or the back of his neck. Sometimes conditions make it difficult for the elderly to reach all areas of their bodies to clean them properly.
Is he only wearing the same pair of elastic pants or a pullover shirt that’s too large at all times? He might be struggling to get dressed each morning and can no longer zip zippers or button shirts with small button holes.
Is he leaving the house less often? Your loved one may be embarrassed about his appearance, but unable to ask for help, so he’s staying home and missing events he used to enjoy.
Providing Personal Care at Home for Your Loved One
If your loved one needs help but doesn’t want it to be you to help him or if you can help him with some of his personal care needs, personal care at home providers can step in and help your loved one with his daily living personal care at home needs so that he can go back to enjoying all of his favorite activities again.
If you or an aging loved one is considering Personal Care Services in Coconut Creek, FL, please contact the caring staff at Star Multi Care today. Call 954-962-0926.
Star Multi Care is a Trusted Home Care Agency in Florida, including Palm Beach, Miami-Dade, and Broward County.
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