Are Your Parents Overlooking Their Safety While Living at Home?

Living out the rest of your life in the community you love is not a surprising goal. Staying in a home that you’ve designed and upgraded to meet your needs is also understandable. As your parents follow through on their wish to age at home, are they overlooking their safety?

The Fall Risk

Falling down is one risk of aging at home. If your mom or dad lives alone and falls, how long would it take before someone realized? Some medical alert systems offer a level of protection with fall detection sensors, but daily visits from caregivers are ideal.

With caregivers on hand, your parents can avoid some of the situations that cause a fall. If they fall stepping out of the shower, caregivers can be right there with a steady arm to hold while stepping out. Your parents have someone to hold while taking a walk or getting out of bed.

Loneliness

When your mom or dad lives alone, loneliness can be an issue. Staying active volunteering or at a senior center helps with socialization. If your parent stays home all day, it can become isolating and lonely.

Caregivers stop by to provide companionship. They’ll stop by to make sure your parent is socially engaged even if they don’t leave their home.

Nutrition

Some older adults love to cook. Others don’t or can’t. Arthritis pain makes it hard to prepare ingredients. Diminishing muscle tone can make some pots and cooking dishes too heavy to lift safely.

Meal preparation services ensure your parents have meals cooked for them. Caregivers can create meal plans with your parents’ help, shop for ingredients with them, and cook meals that they’ll love.

Transportation

When it’s time to give up the keys, your mom and dad may not be happy. While it’s safer, the ability to go out to friends’ homes, restaurants, shops, and other locations is freeing. Instead of risking their safety driving anyway, they could have caregivers drive them around.

If caregivers take your mom or dad shopping, they can also help your parent carry in bags. They’ll unpack the bags and put items in their proper spots.

Caregivers are an important step in any care plan when the goal is to stay in place. Your parents don’t want to move. They don’t want to start over with new neighbors and learn their way around a new community. Caregivers help with that.

Your parents may not be able to drive, but caregivers can drive them. They may not be able to get up and down their basement stairs to do the laundry, but caregivers can. Call a home care agency and talk about the services that will help your parents stay independent and meet their desire to stay in their home.