In the know.

Ways to recognize that your loved one might need more help.

Unopened mail

Is mail piling up? This might be a sign that the day to day management of bills and other responsibilities has become too much. Instead, these items remain unopened and left with no follow up. This might also be a clue that walking to the mailbox has become a point of insecurity as their safety and balance may have changed. Seniors who live in a community find that staff and neighbors might recognize that their needs are changing when the mail begins to stack up.

Spoiled or uneaten food

Grocery shopping can be an overwhelming experience for those who are in need of assistance. Keeping a home filled with fresh foods that are healthy becomes more and more challenging along with the burden of planning and preparing well balanced meals. Meanwhile, senior living communities like MRC The Crossings offers fine dining prepared with nutrition and special diets in mind. Dining with friends becomes a highlight of the day, helping ensure good eating habits.

Cluttered or messy home

Keeping a clean home often means bending or stooping to plug in a vacuum or scrubbing a commode. Working with cleaning supplies might mean unscrewing safety caps with limited dexterity and strength or reading fine print to ensure chemicals are used safely. With housekeeping services and an attentive staff, senior living communities makes sure each resident’s home looks its best so that they can focus their energies on their hobbies and interests.

Personal hygiene has slipped

With approximately 80% of elder falls happening in the bathroom, it’s no wonder that hygiene slips when balance is a struggle. Living in an assisted living environment allows for different levels of personal care services, from bathing and grooming to incontinence care, so that residents get just the help they need for the tasks requiring more support.

Forgetting to take medications

Mismanagement of medication can put seniors at risk for a variety of negative health repercussions. Even well-meaning spouses can get mixed up when the demands of caretaking leaves them exhausted and stressed. Placing this critical task in the hands of an expert nursing team allows families to rest assured that their loved ones are taking the right prescriptions at the right time.

Repeated calls at odd hours

Those that suffer from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease may call their loved ones continually at odd hours of the day. They may find themselves stuck in a confused state and may not remember that they just called you only moments ago to discuss the same topic. Additionally, they may not recognize that a non-emergency phone call at one o’clock in the morning is not appropriate. Within a senior living community, the expert staff is trained to look for signs of confusion that may indicate a need for intervention or additional support.

Frequent falls

Safety awareness, balance issues or a variety of other causes might be resulting in frequent falls for your loved one. The staff at a community are skilled at identifying changes in physical and mental abilities to help with fall prevention and proactive safety. It’s a crucial aspect of maintaining independence.

Unusual behavior or appearance

Observing a person’s day to day behaviors is often the key to taking proactive steps to ensure their needs are being met. Living amongst a community of caring neighbors and well trained staff provides more eyes on the situation and helping hands when they are needed most.

Know the signs that more help is needed and never hesitate to investigate your options. To learn more about how MRC The Crossings can help, call our team at (281) 525-4320.

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