It can be difficult to decide if your elderly loved one needs help at home. Usually there is a slow decline, and if your family member is very independent, it can be a long time, if ever, that extra help is accepted. This is the reason it often takes a medical crisis before the individual accepts assistance.
This article will address the more obvious and serious needs that signal when an individual requires extra assistance. An important concept to keep in mind is essential activities of daily living. These activities will help guide you in determining if assistance is in fact needed, and how often it will need to be performed.
Activities of daily Living (ADLs) are all the tasks an individual does for him/herself each day in order to maintain a safe and healthy lifestyle. Unfortunately, these tasks can become overwhelming or impossible for some people of advanced age and/or those exhibiting physical or mental decline. The list can be exhaustive, so the items below concentrate on the instrumental, or most important, ADLs. To live at home safely an individual MUST be able to do all of these essential tasks him/herself, or have someone available and willing to assist.
Can your loved one perform all of the following tasks safely and thoroughly without assistance?
Instrumental ADLs
- Bathing and Dressing
- Toileting needs (all)
- Ambulation (walking in the home with or without an assistive device) and open access to bathroom, bedroom, kitchen etc.
- Ability to procure all medications and take as prescribed
- Access and ability get and/or prepare all meals with nutritious food
- Cognitive ability and access to phone and/or emergency call button for reaching 9-1-1 in an emergency
These instrumental or IADLs are called just that because without the ability to perform them, they can lead to a serious decline in health.
As long as the appropriate assistance can be delivered by a friend or family member, etc., and all IADLs can be met, the individual can remain at home. Keep in mind that tasks relating to food and medication are usually the first IADLs that elderly people need assistance with.
Serious problems arise when the person needing help with IADLs does not have someone willing or able to assist. Sometimes it can be unsafe, unwelcome, or downright exhausting for a loved one to assist with some IADLs (such as bathing or toileting). This is often the crossroads where a home care agency or caregiver is brought in.
In these situations, finding a great caregiver, deciding if home care is truly an option, and knowing how often care is needed, can be difficult. Planning ahead and being prepared when this situation happens will save you and your family headaches and heartaches in the future.
Please call Emily’s Home Care at 336-722-4300 if you would like to get more information regarding home care or other assistance options.