Is Clutter an Indicator That Your Parent Needs Senior Care Services?
As weeks and months pass, you’ve noticed that your parent’s house is becoming more and more cluttered. You stop by each month and in those few weeks, the house is packed with items you can’t see that your mom or dad needs. This can be an indicator that senior care services could help your parent.
Why Clutter?
Too much clutter can be a sign that organization and forgetfulness are affecting your mom or dad. Your mom has a shelf full of books. She forgot which books she had and bought books at a yard sale. Many are duplicates and are sitting in piles on the floor.
Your dad struggles with the stairs, but he doesn’t want to admit it. Rather than walk downstairs to the laundry room, he wears the same outfits multiple times. He’s not bothering changing his sheets, even though they smell sweaty. Dirty towels are piled up in the bathroom growing mildew and mold.
Those are signs of clutter, but there are others. Your mom may have collected every magazine for years because she thought she might read them again. Your dad keeps stacks of old newspapers in case he wants to light a fire in the fireplace. It doesn’t matter that he hasn’t lit a fire in years. Those newspapers are blocking entry into the family room. They could also add fuel to a fire if the stove got left on or an electrical fire started.
Clutter leads to new issues. Mold and mildew on linens can trigger asthma and allergies. As rooms get filled up, a leaking pipe or roof may go unnoticed and cause structural damage.
Clutter Usually Leads to Additional Issues You Should Look For
-Once clutter builds up, household care may start to slip. Your mom may stop worrying about vacuuming and pet hair, dirt, and dust are building up. Your dad has to walk around stacks of magazines to get down the basement stairs. If he trips, the basement steps lead to concrete walls and flooring that could cause great harm.
-If clutter is an issue, there are other signs that your parent needs senior care services. Are bills being paid on time? Is your dad not showering often? Has your mom stopped cooking and uses the microwave to heat frozen dinners each night? Are pets having accidents on the floor that don’t get cleaned up?
-Monitor your mom or dad’s medications. Are they taking too many pills or missing dosages from time to time? Are they forgetting to have them refilled on time? Those are big indicators of a need for home care.
Talk to a senior care agency about the many ways a caregiver could help your parent to age in place. While there are dozens of options, seniors often choose transportation, meal preparation, laundry, and housekeeping as essential home care services. Call today to learn more.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Caregiver in Suwanee, GA, please contact the friendly staff at Certified Home Care of Georgia. Call today 770-635-8042