The new year marks an ideal time to evaluate the well-being of aging seniors in your life. After a busy holiday season, many may note some concerns with elderly relatives.

Sara Wilson, CEO of Home Assist Health, a Phoenix-based nonprofit that serves approximately 400 seniors and individuals with disabilities annually, says that seniors often don’t want to ask for help because they are afraid of being put in a long-term care home or being moved from where they are comfortable. Many families don’t realize they can stay in their own home and have help come to them.

Signs that it may be time to have a conversation about in-home care include problems keeping up with house cleaning/yard work; missing appointments or other obligations; poor personal hygiene or bladder control issues; difficulty with mobility or standing; difficulty driving or accidents; depression, seclusion or changes in mood; loss of interest in activities; multiple chronic illnesses; significant weight gain or loss; trouble chewing, swallowing or taking medication; or a recent fall.

If you’re concerned, consider contacting an organization such as Home Assist Health that provides free phone interviews and in-home evaluations. Services include personal care assistance, companionship, housekeeping, respite care and habilitation. Specialty services include enhanced care transitions and enhanced chronic disease management.

You also need to determine whether your loved one has insurance for home care, which may come from a Medicaid long-term care benefit, select Medicare Advantage plans, or a private long-term care insurance plan. For those without home care benefits from insurance, there are other payment methods for access care at home.

For more information on Home Assist Health’s services, visit homeassisthealth.com or call 602-795-7920.

 

 

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