12 Signs Your Parent May Need Help at Home
12 Signs Your Parent May Need Help at Home
Short answer: When an aging parent’s health changes, you might notice missed meals, frequent falls, or unpaid bills. These signs often mean they need hands-on help or supervision to stay safe at home. Reviewing these changes helps you decide the next steps.
- Changes in personal hygiene or missed meals often signal a need for daily help.
- Frequent falls or near-falls require immediate safety checks and a medical review.
- Wandering or new evening confusion are serious signs that require supervision.
- Caregiver exhaustion means it is time to look into respite or home care support.
- Discuss new symptoms with a doctor before making long-term care plans.
Common Signs Your Parent Needs Support
Noticing changes in an aging parent’s routine can be difficult. Many families first see small shifts in daily habits before larger safety issues arise. Recognizing these shifts early allows you to plan for help before an emergency occurs.
When you visit your parent’s home, look closely at their physical condition and their living space. The following checklist covers common physical, cognitive, and household changes. These are general observations, not medical diagnoses. Always talk to a doctor about new symptoms.
| Sign | What It May Point To | What To Do |
|---|---|---|
| Trouble with bathing or dressing | Difficulty with activities of daily living (ADLs). | Consider hands-on personal care assistance. |
| Missed meals or spoiled food | Struggling with instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) like meal prep. | Arrange for grocery delivery or a home care aide to help cook. |
| Unpaid bills or unopened mail | Trouble managing money or early cognitive changes. | Help organize finances and check for late payment notices. |
| Falls or near-falls | More than one in four older people falls each year, risking severe injury. | Schedule a doctor visit. Read our fall prevention guide. |
| Weight changes | Poor nutrition, difficulty eating, or underlying health issues. | Track their meals and consult their physician. |
| Medication confusion | Forgetting doses or taking too much, which can cause dizziness or sleepiness. | Have a doctor or pharmacist review all medicines. |
| Unsafe driving | Slower reaction times or vision changes. | Discuss driving limits. Remove car keys if they have dementia and wander. |
| Wandering or getting lost | Six in 10 people living with dementia wander. | Install door alarms. If they go missing, search immediately. Call 911 if not found within 15 minutes. |
| New confusion in the evening | Sundowning, causing anxiety or pacing from dusk through night. | Keep the home well-lit in the evening and maintain a regular routine. |
| Cluttered or unsafe home | High fall risk from throw rugs or blocked paths. | Use the CDC home fall prevention checklist to clear hazards. |
| Isolation | Lack of socialization, leading to loneliness or depression. | Arrange for companionship services or community activities. |
| Caregiver exhaustion | Signs of caregiver stress include anger, exhaustion, and health problems. | Ask for help. Look into respite care to take a break. |
What to Do Next
If you recognize several signs from the checklist, take action to protect your parent’s safety. Acting early can help prevent emergencies like severe falls or medication errors. Follow these steps to evaluate their needs and find the right support.
- Talk to your parent. Discuss your observations gently. Focus on their safety and independence. Listen to their concerns about accepting help at home.
- Schedule a doctor visit. Bring up any new symptoms, weight changes, or confusion. A doctor can check for treatable conditions and review their medications. Some medicines cause sleepiness or dizziness that lead to falls.
- Perform a home safety check. Clear paths around furniture, remove throw rugs, and improve lighting. Add grab bars in the bathroom next to the toilet and inside the tub. Fix loose or uneven steps and ensure handrails are secure on both sides. Ensure your parent wears shoes inside and out, rather than walking barefoot or in slippers.
- Consider hours of help. Decide if your parent needs a few hours of support each week or daily supervision. Track their daily routine to see exactly when they struggle the most.
- Check Medicaid eligibility. If your parent has limited income and resources, they might qualify for the Community HealthChoices (CHC) waiver. Learn more about Medicaid waiver programs. The Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA) handles the functional assessments for this program locally.
- Explore caregiver support. If you are providing unpaid care, look into the PA Caregiver Support Program. It offers education and reimbursement for caregiving expenses. Apply through your local Area Agency on Aging, which is PCA in Philadelphia.
If you need to arrange support for an aging parent, contact New Century Home Care. Call 215-974-0000 or visit our contact page, select “I am a client,” and choose “I need services.” Our office staff speaks English, Russian, and Ukrainian.
How Much Help Do They Need?
The amount of care your parent needs depends on their physical and cognitive health. Some older adults only require help with household tasks, while others need around-the-clock supervision. Evaluating their specific challenges helps you build a realistic schedule.
A Few Hours a Week
If your parent mostly struggles with IADLs, a few hours of non-medical home care each week might be enough. An aide can assist with meal preparation, light housekeeping, and grocery shopping. This level of care adds company and helps with regular meals. It also provides a second set of eyes to monitor for further changes in their health.
Daily Visits
When a parent has trouble with ADLs like bathing, dressing, or toileting, daily visits become necessary. Consistent help keeps them clean and comfortable. Aides also provide medication reminders, reducing the risk of missed doses. Daily care offers peace of mind for families who cannot be there every day. If you are already providing this care, daily visits from an aide can serve as respite, giving you a necessary break to prevent caregiver burnout.
24/7 Care and Supervision
If your parent wanders, experiences severe sundowning, or cannot safely be left alone, they may require 24/7 care. Continuous supervision lowers the risk of wandering and nighttime falls. In Pennsylvania, the median cost for a non-medical caregiver is $34 per hour. At this rate, 24 hours of hourly care equals $816 per day. Read our guide on the cost of hourly care for local estimates. If you need continuous support, review the costs for 24-hour care.
How a Home Care Aide Helps
Aides provide personal care, companionship, and respite for family caregivers. They assist with daily tasks so your parent can remain safely at home. They do not perform skilled nursing tasks like wound care, giving injections, or medical assessments. You can explore more caregiving resources to see how non-medical support fits into your parent’s routine.
Ready to discuss your parent’s care needs? Call New Century Home Care at 215-974-0000 or fill out our contact form. Choose “I am a client” and then “I need services” to get started.
Frequently asked questions
What happens when you can no longer care for an elderly parent?
When caregiver exhaustion sets in, you must look for outside help to ensure safety. You can hire a home care agency for respite, apply for the Community HealthChoices (CHC) waiver if they qualify for Medicaid, or explore adult day health care. In Philadelphia, you can contact the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA) at 215-765-9040 to discuss local support programs.
What are 10 signs that my elderly parent needs help?
Common signs include trouble bathing, missed meals, frequent falls, unpaid bills, weight loss, medication mistakes, unsafe driving, wandering, a cluttered home, and social isolation. If you notice these changes, schedule a doctor’s appointment to review their health. A physician can help you determine the next steps for their care.
Non-medical home care in Philadelphia, Bucks, Montgomery, Delaware and Chester counties. Medicaid CHC (Keystone First), VA programs and private pay. We speak English, Russian and Ukrainian.
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