Know the Signs That Indicate It Is Time for Respite Care

Posted on: 17 September 2018

As long as you have an elderly loved one, there comes the point when you have to discern whether they are in need of additional assistance with their daily living. For a good number of Australians, this means moving their senior family member into their home so that they can keep a close an eye on them. However, being a primary caregiver to your loved one, be it a parent or a close relative, can be overwhelming. Moreso, if you do not have the proper training in caregiving. But if you do not want to put your loved one in a nursing home, then you may want to consider respite care services. This article seeks to enlighten individuals of the signs that indicate it is time for respite care. 

Deteriorating hygiene

Personal hygiene is something that requires clarity of mind to maintain. Therefore, once you begin to notice that your loved one's hygiene is in serious decline, you should seriously consider respite services. Deteriorating sanitation typically indicates that your loved one is incapable of cleaning themselves adequately. Thus, you may start to notice they have constant body odour, which could be due to incontinence or perhaps not taking a bath. Additionally, you may also notice that their grooming habits are in decline too, which will start to manifest as untidiness, undone hair and so on. Respite care allows for proper hygiene as the caregiver will clean and groom your loved one dutifully.

Sundowner's syndrome

Sundowning is a symptom that typically manifests in senior people with deteriorating mental health. It manifests as agitated behaviour and will usually show up in the evening, hence its name. The severity of sundowner's' syndrome will vary from one person to the next. However, if this agitation is disrupting your family or making it difficult to stick to routines, you may need professional assistance in the form of respite care. These caregivers are trained on how to handle agitated individuals, so they will be better suited to keeping your senior loved one under control.

Neglecting food

Food is critical to your loved one's health. If they are neglecting their meals, their health will definitely experience a downturn. For instance, if your loved one does not remember to eat, and nobody is taking measures to ensure that they have their meals they will start to lose weight rapidly. Keep in mind that neglecting food also goes hand in hand with ignoring medication, as they may not realise they are skipping their meds. Respite care guarantees you that not only is your loved one receiving their daily nutritional needs but also taking their meds as prescribed.

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