According to some studies, 75% of adults haven’t talked to their parents about the living arrangements in retirement or long-term care. However, it’s essential that you’re well familiar with your parents’ health condition in order to estimate whether they need assisted care or not. The sooner you spot the signs of senility, slow motor skills, inability to take care of themselves or the house, the better. Sometimes the smallest details can indicate your parents need care, while other times it’s quite obvious that they can’t take care of themselves anymore.

Clear Signs They Need Help

What you’d usually disregard as a sign of the inability to take care of themselves, now it becomes exactly that. Several continuous accidents, medical scares or minor car accidents are the first signs that your parents are not as capable to take care of themselves as they used to be. The older they get, the more likely it’ll be for them to be a part of these accidents, and put both themselves and others in danger. Additionally, if your parents are suffering from congestive heart failure or progressive problems as dementia, they should definitely have a professional help that would take good care of them.

Furthermore, if you notice that your parents have a problem doing laundry, dressing up, cooking, shopping, or remembering to take their medications on time, it would be a good idea to bring along an expert that can evaluate whether your parent should immediately move to a nursing home.

Look For Closer Signs

Sometimes all you need to do is hug your mother or father, and instantly spot signs that they need assisted living. If you notice a significant weight loss, it’s possible that they’re sick, or that they’ve started to forget to eat and look after themselves. Be sure to check if there is food in the refrigerator, and pay attention how they manage in the kitchen. Furthermore, if they’re suddenly less strong than the last time they hugged you, if there’s a change in their balance, or if they have trouble getting up from a chair, it’s time you talk about the assisted living. A hug can also reveal if you parents are still having good personal hygiene habits. If they smell strange, it could be possible that they are developing dementia, depression, or maybe some more serious problems, and are thus forgetting to take proper care of themselves.

Social Signs

As we get older, the number of people we socialize with tends to shrink. This is especially true for the elderly, since they become less mobile, and some of them simply lose interest in meeting up with people. If your parent has been a part of a club, and has recently stopped going to meetings and hasn’t heard from their friends in a while, it may mean that they are depressed. Therefore, looking for an outstanding home care agency would be the best choice. Retirement homes are perfect places to socialize and be sure you’re well taken care of.

Driving Signs

Going for a drive with your parent is a great way to see if they’re still capable of driving safely. As you get inside and out of the car be sure to look for any dents or nicks. A damaged vehicle indicates that your parent is a careless driver. If they forget to put their seatbelt on, or they’re tense, anxious, and easily distracted it’s a sign that the ability to drive safely is impaired.

Look for the Signs around the Hose

Stale and food with past due expiration date are just some of the signs your parent is forgetting that the food should be replaced. Look for singed pot bottoms, or burned edges on the potholders, because these are usually the signs that your parent forgot to turn off the stove, or that it was turned on in the first place. If there’s a lot of clutter in the house, and you know that your parent has always been neat, it means that there’s a problem with some of their abilities.

Finding out that your parent can’t look after themselves anymore is vital for their well-being. Therefore, be sure to always look for signs that’ll indicate they need assisted living. The sooner you provide them with professional help, the better. Your parent will be well taken care of, which will ease your mind.