Signs That Your Retired Loved One Needs Residential Support

Signs That Your Retired Loved One Needs Residential Support                                         

 Nobody ever said that growing old would be easy and there comes a time when living at home alone with no assistance becomes too difficult and potentially dangerous. You may be starting to recognise this with your loved one and are wondering what signs there are when trying to decide when they require some additional home help.

Luckily at our Retirement Villages we offer Rangeford Support, which provides a variety of services to assist residents who need or want some help at home.

Here we highlight some of the main signs that your loved one needs additional care and help at home:

Safety has become a concern                                                                                                         

Has your loved one recently suffered from a fall at home when nobody else was around? Or are they struggling to do simple tasks such as lock the door or get up and down steps alone? If they are no longer safe in their home, then this causes a big risk. At Rangeford Retirement Villages, our care staff are on site 24/7 and flexible care services are carefully tailored to meet the specific needs of each resident.

Personal hygiene is becoming harder to maintain                                                                           

Ask your loved one how often they are showering and bathing and whether they have trouble doing this. It can be a tricky subject and not everyone will be open and forthcoming about these issues, but chances are you know them well enough to know if their personal hygiene routine is lacking and if they are struggling to get in and out of the bath or bed.

The home is in disarray                                                                                                                     

They may be struggling to stand for long periods of time or bend over and use the dishwasher and therefore the dirty dishes have all stacked up. Or the garden may be a mess as they cannot tend to it anymore. Although these might seem like small details, they are signs that your parent or grandparent can’t do everything that they used to do, and they may not be capable of living fully independently. House maintenance is taken care of at Rangeford Retirement Villages and therefore there is less pressure on you to maintain your property. Many residents feel that releasing some of these burdens allows them to enjoy the simple pleasures of life more fully.

Their sleeping and eating habits have changed                                                                             

Have you noticed that they are eating a lot of the same things all of a sudden, as they can’t cook like they used to? Or are they particularly irritable, perhaps down to trouble sleeping? Having some home care support to help with these areas may make all the difference.

Mobility has become limited or changed                                                                                     

You will be able to tell if your loved one isn’t moving like they used to. Often, they refuse to use their cane, walker or wheelchair and struggle to get around the house. If they are at this stage, then home care will help them to relax more, putting tasks in the hands or carers, so they can worry less about their body’s strength to do everything. Homes in our retirement villages are built with the needs of over 60s in mind to allow them to live independently with confidence. They feature single floors, open plan layouts to help mobility and modern shower rooms with easily accessible walk-in showers.

They aren’t taking their medication                                                                                                     

A real worry and red flag! Some elderly people will try to avoid taking their medication or decide to stop taking it all together without consulting their doctor or loved ones. Having our carers visiting at home means they will take all the medication they need and it will give you peace of mind that they aren’t compromising their health.

The family is finding it difficult to share the load                                                                               

It is much easier to have peace of mind that your loved one is in good hands than to be stressing over how you and your family are going to share the load and try and attend to all of their needs and look after them. Living in a retirement village and having care at home means that they will have the care, support and attention they need, whilst staying in their own home and you will not have to change your working arrangements or commitments. They may not need care straight away but knowing that there is extra care available on site can help to enhance health and wellbeing for residents, allowing them to live in the moment, knowing that when the time comes, they have the home care they need at reach.

A retirement village may be just the ticket for your loved one if they are still looking for an active lifestyle with a community at the heart of it. Moving to a Rangeford Village gives you the reassurance that help is available as your support and care needs grow, allowing you to live later life to the fullest .

We know that considering a move to a retirement village is a very personal one and a choice that has to feel right for you and your loved one. Our village sales advisors are always available at the end of the phone to discuss and talk through any questions you may have.