Signs That May Indicate The Need For Home Health Services

If your senior loved one lives alone, you probably worry about his or her health, wellness, and safety. While many seniors can live independently throughout their golden years, others may need help. Here are some signs that may mean your aging loved one needs home health care or in-home nursing services:

Grooming And Hygiene Signs

The next time you visit your elderly loved one, look for signs of poor grooming and hygiene. Oily hair, body odors, poor oral hygiene, and dirt under the nails may mean that the person has cognitive deficits or is suffering from clinical depression.

Other signs may include wearing the same clothes over and over without washing them, wearing mismatched clothing, uncombed hair, and refusing to shower or bathe. Poor grooming and hygiene habits need to be recognized and managed because they can raise your loved one's risk for skin infections, diarrhea, breathing problems, and an increase in allergy symptoms. A home health care worker can make sure that the senior stays clean and well-groomed while making sure that clothing choices are appropriate. 

Bills Piling Up

If your loved one has stopped paying his or her bills, or if he or she is getting utility "shut off" notices, the aging adult may be unable to live alone anymore. Additionally, if newspapers and mail have not been retrieved, or if the utilities have actually been turned off because of non-payment, an in-home caregiver may need to be hired.

Non-payment of bills may severely affect your loved one's credit rating, which he or she may have strived to protect for many years. Even if you pay the delinquent bills, it may take years before the senior's credit score recovers.

The in-home caregiver can make sure bills are paid and that the utilities such as electric, gas, and water stay on. If the elderly person's doctor bills go unpaid, he or she may have problems making future appointments until the outstanding balances have been taken care of. If you don't want the home health caregiver to be responsible for getting the bills paid, consider changing the bills over to your name to ensure that payment will be made in a timely manner. 

If you believe that your loved one is declining cognitively, call a home health services agency. The representative can address your concerns and answer your questions regarding the types of services the agency offers as well as the cost and payment options.

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