Elder Care in Toronto: What Kinds of Physical Changes Can Alert You that Your Elderly Loved One Needs More Help?
Looking for physical changes in your loved one’s body can help you to spot her need for more assistance, but you have to know what you’re looking for. These suggestions are a start.
Unexplained Weight Loss
Weight loss can be tricky to spot in your loved one. It can happen gradually, unless your loved one has stopped eating completely. Your loved one might also be dressing to disguise her weight loss, with loose clothing or other distractions. If you go to the doctor with your loved one, you may be able to spot differences in her weight from one visit to another more readily than you can see the actual weight loss.
Trouble with Mobility
Your loved one can have difficulty moving around in a variety of different ways. She may not be able to get up from her seat very easily, for example, or she might have balance issues. Watch your loved one as she walks to see how she moves. If your loved one is leaning on the walls or on furniture in order to move through her home, this could mean that she is increasingly having difficulty moving around.
Bruises or Injuries She Can’t Explain
Injuries or bruises are always a disturbing thing to see on your loved one’s body, but when she can’t explain them that can be a little more disturbing. These types of injuries can mean that your loved one is falling and not letting you know. She may also be bruising more easily because of medication side effects. Finding out why she is experiencing these injuries is a priority.
Changes to Hygiene Routines
You’re probably more familiar with your loved one’s hygiene routines than you realize that you are. It’s definitely easy to spot changes to her hygiene, especially if she’s not bathing as often or she’s not taking care of her hair the way that she has in the past. These changes can mean that the tasks are too difficult for your loved one on her own or they can mean that your loved one isn’t interested in managing these tasks. Either way, she needs additional help.
Whether you have to help your loved one more yourself or you hire elder care providers to help her, she still doesn’t have to give up her independence. Having the help she needs can actually help her to be more independent.
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