What Clues Can You Gather When You’re a Long-distance Caregiver?

Whether you live a few hours away or farther, being a long-distance caregiver is not the easiest way to take care of someone you love. You might feel as if you’re missing some details, and that’s not completely wrong. But there are ways for you to gather more information about what’s happening with your elderly family member. From there, you can start to put a better plan in place for her.

Your Senior Seems Tired or Disengaged

When you talk with your senior over video calls or even audio calls, pay attention to how she sounds and looks. If she’s always seeming to be rather disengaged or tired, there may be a reason. Finding out what’s causing her to feel that way can help you to determine if home care assistance would be a good fit for her.

Her Hygiene Seems Different

Checking out how your senior looks is easier during an in-person visit or a video call, of course, but it can tell you a lot. Is she doing her hair differently? Or is she looking more disheveled than usual? There could be reasons for that. Personal care tasks often start to become difficult for seniors, causing them to make subtle changes to how they handle hygiene.

Your Senior’s Voice Seems Different or Strained

Something you might hear over the phone are differences in your senior’s normal tone and voice. Is she suddenly sounding different? That could be an indication that something has changed for her. The problem could be related to her health, her mood, or simply to how tired she is from doing too much on her own. Lining up elder care help can make a difference for her.

You’ve Noticed Mobility Changes

When did you last see your senior walk around? Is she having trouble doing so? Mobility is a big concern for seniors because changes in how mobile she is can lead to a greater fall risk or other problems. Home care assistance can help your elderly family member to get around her home more easily and more safely.

Her Mood Is Off

It’s also important to pay attention to your senior’s moods. If she seems to be forcing a good mood more often than not, there could be underlying reasons for that. By the same token, if she’s in a bad mood more frequently than you’re used to, there may be something going on. Rapid mood swings are another red flag.

She’s Dodging Questions

When you ask your elderly family member outright how she’s doing or if she needs help, is she dodging giving you a straight answer? This is something that you might not see as a sign at first, especially if she seems to be doing well in other respects. You may want to try gently digging a little deeper.

How Home Care Assistance Can Help

As a long-distance caregiver, you just want to make sure that your senior is happy and safe. That can feel impossible until you start to notice the subtle signs that might mean she could use some more help. When it becomes clear that your senior needs more help than you can offer from a distance, it’s time to enlist the help of home care assistance. Care providers can help with many things that your senior may be struggling with, from meal preparation to transportation. Call us today to get started on ensuring your senior parent’s safety at home.

Source
https://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/guide/10-survival-strategies-distance-caregivers

If you are considering home care assistance in Dayton, OH, for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Touching Hearts At Home of Dayton today at 937-558-9394.