Top Signs That Your Elderly Relative Needs Help

The population of the United Kingdom continues to age at an alarming rate. The number of young people is decreasing and the proportion of seniors is on the increase day by day. As this process continues, the need for professional live-in care for the elderly is soaring.

Are you wondering if your loved one needs live-in care for the elderly at home? Today, we reveal to you the most significant signs that a senior may need live-in care for the elderly and what professional help of this kind entails.

Top signs that your relative needs live-in care for elderly

Here are the key signs that should make you consider hiring care for the elderly at home and have a serious conversation with your relatives.

Personal hygiene issues

Most of the time, the appearance of your relatives tends to be a major indicator as to whether they are having difficulty coping with day-to-day life. If you have noticed a change in your loved one’s appearance during a recent visit as a result of poor personal care, in the form of unpleasant body odour, unwashed teeth, dirty and unkempt hair and unclean and unpressed clothes, it is a sign that it is worth speaking to your elderly relative.

Neglecting personal hygiene can be a signal of both serious physical illness and mental trouble, so it’s not worth walking around the fence for too long, but talking to the senior at the first sign of symptoms.

Housekeeping issues

Cleaning your home can help to keep your mind clear and maintain a comfortable life, as long as you are not hindered by physical and mental ailments. If your senior loved one’s home is gradually becoming more untidy, it could be due to limitations and maladies of the body as well as the mind, so the next time you check on your loved one, take a moment to look around their home and check for dirty dishes, an empty fridge or expired food, or unopened mail. These could all be signs that your loved one needs help.

Health issues

If your ageing loved one, suffers from chronic conditions, or faces newly acquired disabilities, they may require assistance. This is especially true among seniors with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, for whom living independently can pose a threat to their health and life or even the possibility of harming others.

Providing care for the elderly at home can make their lives more comfortable, restore new hope, and enable them to adjust to a new reality, as well as ensure the safety of the seniors themselves and those around them.

Mental issues

The last sign that it is time to think about live-in care for the elderly is mental problems such as withdrawal, a negative attitude to the world, depression or trouble sleeping. All these conditions indicate that the senior is not fully coping with professional disengagement, loneliness and age-related transitions.

Mental health problems are just as serious as those concerning our health, so they should not be taken lightly.

Live-in care UK – basic information

Live-in care for the elderly is a form of multifaceted support for sick, lonely and disabled seniors. A care professional in the field of care for the elderly at home supports their charges in all daily household chores, such as cleaning, cooking, washing dishes, and vacuuming, as well as providing them with safety and medical assistance. Furthermore, it also offers companionship in and out of the home – driving the senior to important events and medical appointments.

This type of assistance is the gentlest and most practical way of providing an ageing loved one with really high-quality support, and is an alternative to retirement homes, which are a huge source of stress for seniors. With live-in care, the elderly person does not experience the shock of a change of environment and loss of independence, but only receives as much help as they agree to.

Live-in care UK – top questions

Check out the short blitz below with the most frequently asked questions about live-in care in the UK.

How much does live-in care cost?

Professional live-in care for the elderly costs between £700 and £1,200 per week.

What goes into the duties of a live-in carer?

Live-in carers support seniors with the following duties:

cleaning,
shopping,
feeding,
helping with bathing, washing, combing and dressing,
cooking,
transport,
mental support,
medication reminders,
medical appointment reminders,
ensuring safety in and out of the home.

How do you find the right live-in carer?

Unfortunately, finding a suitable live-in carer is much more than typing ‘live-in care uk’ into Google. To find a good professional you need to do some reconnaissance, choose an agency, check references and select the best offers, then invite a few candidates for a trial day. Alternatively, you can turn to us straight away – we have a proven database of professionals, compiled from a demanding recruitment process.