Sometimes people won’t admit they need help to stay at home, and others may be unaware that it is time for some extra help to maintain a healthy and safe home environment. Knowing and watching for signs that could indicate extra assistance is needed may fall on family, friends or advisors. Take note of the following:
Has the elderly person changed eating habits?
Has the elderly person lost weight?
Is there food in the home?
Does the person have the ability to go to the grocery store or are groceries delivered?
Did You Know? Losing weight without trying could be a sign that something’s wrong. For the elderly, weight loss could be related to many factors, including difficulty cooking, loss of taste or smell and underlying conditions.

Is the elderly person taking care of his/her personal hygiene and dress?
Are his/her clothes clean?
Does he/she appear to be taking care of himself/herself?
Did You Know? Failure to keep up with daily routines—such as bathing, tooth brushing and other basic grooming—could indicate health problems such as dementia, depression or physical impairments.

Is the senior safe in his/her home?
Has he/she fallen recently?
Is he/she able to read directions on medication containers?
Is there adequate lighting for nighttime trips to the bathroom?
Has he/she had physical problems such as burns or injury marks resulting from general weakness, forgetfulness, or possible misuse of prescribed medications?
Is the older person in good spirits?
Is he/she unusually fatigued?
Is he/she connecting with friends?
If he/she is religious, does he/she attend regular worship services?
Has he/she maintained interest in hobbies, social organizations and other daily activities?
Did You Know? A drastically different mood or outlook could be a sign of depression or other health concern.

Is the home being maintained in good order?
Are the lights working?
Is the heat on?
Is the air conditioning in working order?
Are the bathrooms clean?
Is there clutter blocking walkways through the house?
Did You Know? Any big changes in the way things are done around the house could provide clues to health. For example, scorched pots could mean forgetting about food cooking on the stove. Neglected housework could be a sign of depression, dementia, or other problems. 

Is the elderly person having difficulty getting around?
Is he/she reluctant or unable to walk usual distances?
Is knee or hip arthritis making it difficult to get around the house?
Is he/she shuffling, or would he/she benefit from a cane or walker?
Did You Know? Muscle weakness, joint problems and other age-related changes can make it difficult to move around. If he is unsteady on his feet, he may be at risk of falling—a major cause of disability among older adults.

Has the person exhibited forgetfulness or inappropriate behavior?
Is he/she unusually loud or quiet, paranoid, agitated, making phone calls at all hours?
Has his/her forgetfulness resulted in unopened mail, piling newspapers, unfilled prescriptions or missed appointments?
Has he/she mishandled finances such as not paying bills, losing money, paying bills twice or more, making unusual purchases or hiding money?
Are multiple medications from multiple doctors being taken?
Did You Know? Sometimes multiple doctors may be treating a person for multiple health conditions. Have multiple prescriptions evaluated by a medical doctor skilled in polypharmacy (the knowledge of how various medications interact).

If any of these signs are noted and raise concerns, bring them to the attention of the person’s physician and consider additional care in the home. Universal Senior Care provides traditional and non-traditional in-home care offerings such as meal preparation, personal care, transportation and Alzheimer’s care, whether the needs are daily, weekly, temporary or long‑term.

Sources: Mayo Clinic, Eldercare.gov

Many older people have trouble eating well. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration offers some solutions to several common problems.

Problem: Can’t cook
Problems with cooking can include difficulty holding utensils, pots and pans or trouble standing for long periods of time.

What one should do:
A microwave oven can be used to cook TV dinners, other frozen foods and foods made ahead of time by the store.|
Group meal programs offered through senior citizen programs can provide cooked meals, either at their location or brought to the home.
Universal Senior Care can provide a caregiver who can cook nutritious meals in the comfort of the home.
Moving to a place where someone else will cook, such as a family member’s home or a home for senior citizens, can be considered.

Problem: Can’t shop
Some people may have problems shopping for food as a result of being unable to drive or having trouble walking or standing for a long time.

What one should do:
Request a local food store deliver groceries to the home. Some stores provide this service for free, while others may charge a fee.
A church, synagogue or local volunteer center can be contacted with a request for volunteer help.
A family member or neighbor can provide help with shopping.
Universal Senior Care can be hired to provide shopping assistance.

Problem: Can’t chew
Those who have trouble chewing may have trouble eating foods, such as meat, fresh fruits and vegetables.

What one should do:
Try other foods and check for dental problems or loose fitting dentures.

INSTEAD TRY:
fresh fruit, fruit juices, soft canned fruits (such as applesauce, peaches and pears), raw vegetables, vegetable juices; creamed, mashed and cooked vegetables, meat, ground meat, eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt and foods made with milk, such as pudding and cream soups, sliced bread, cooked cereals, rice, bread pudding and soft cookies.

Problem: Upset stomach
Too much gas and other stomach problems may cause people to stay away from foods they think cause the problem. This means they could be missing out on important nutrients, such as vitamins, calcium, fiber and protein.

What one should do:
Try other foods

INSTEAD TRY:
milk, foods that may not upset the stomach, such as cream soups, pudding, yogurt and cheese, vegetables, such as cabbage and broccoli vegetable juices and other vegetables, such as green beans, carrots and potatoes, fresh fruit, fruit juices, and soft canned fruits.

Problem: No appetite

Older people who live alone sometimes feel lonely at mealtimes, a feeling which can result in loss of appetite. Or they may not feel like making meals for just themselves. Maybe the food prepared has no flavor or tastes bad. This could be caused by medicines they are taking.

What one should do:
Contact Universal Senior Care to get a companion to not only prepare meals, but to participate in making meal time a social time. Ask a doctor if medicines could be causing appetite or taste problems. If so, ask about changing medicines.
Take part in group meal programs offered through senior citizen programs.
Increase the flavor of food by adding spices and herbs.
Eat with family and friends.

The after-effects of a stroke vary depending on the parts of the body affected and the stage of the person’s recovery and rehabilitation. The tips below will assist you in choosing the ones that best fit your situation and experience. 

Clothing
Choose loose-fitting sleeves, armholes, pant legs and elastic or drawstring waistlines.
Clothes that go over the head should have stretch openings with Velcro closures.
Select clothes with easy-to-close fasteners in the front.
If possible, replace buttons, zippers and laces on your favorite clothes with Velcro fasteners.
Try out dressing aids (things that make dressing easier). Dressing aids can be found in drug and medical supply stores and include:
A mirror which hangs around the neck to comb hair, apply makeup and jewelry
A long-handled shoe horn
A device to help pull on stockings
Try out adaptable clothing, which can be found on websites such as:
www.makoa.org/clothing.htm
www.professionalfit.com 

Staying safe and connected
Write out emergency and family phone numbers in large print on index cards or whiteboards and place them in handy locations all over the home.
Arrange for people to check in with the person at specific times during the day and evening.
In all rooms, keep telephones or call devices within easy reach and consider purchasing an alert device for the patient to wear.

Meals
Soft foods and foods with stronger flavors may encourage stroke survivors who are not eating enough. A low-salt, low-fat, low-cholesterol diet might be prescribed by the physician to help prevent a recurrent stroke.
Special utensils can help people with arm or hand problems:
Flatware with built-up handles which are easier to grasp.
Rocker knives that allow cutting food with one hand.
Attachable rings that fit around a plate and keep food from being pushed off the plate.
Ill-fitting dentures or a reduced sense of taste or smell can make food unappealing.
Food difficult to chew should be cut into small pieces.
If a stroke survivor is unable to obtain groceries and cook meals, resources are available:
Nutrition programs, such as Meals on Wheels and hot lunches offered through community centers.
Many grocery stores can deliver food either by ordering on the web or by telephone.
Religious and community organizations have programs that transport people to the store.

Preventing falls
Help the stroke survivor to remain active.
Strengthen leg muscles and balance through weight training and/or gentle exercise classes.
Purchase flat, wide-toed shoes.
Follow what has been taught in rehabilitation regarding limitations and when and for how long the person is to walk.
Don’t rely on furniture for support while walking. Always use the assistive walking device prescribed.
Recognize which of the medications can cause drowsiness or have any other symptoms that might make the person feel dizzy and fall and take necessary precautions.
To make cleaning and other household chores easier
Use simple cleaning products such as disposable wipes and mop heads.
Choose one multi-purpose cleaning solution for most cleaning.
Work on small areas at a time and take frequent breaks. Allow friends, family, neighbors, a maid or cleaning service to do some of the work.
Additional Assistance
Consider Universal Senior Care to help when additional assistance is needed in any area.

Our brains are designed for socializing! So when older adults are not able to enjoy time with others, it leads to a lot of stress and health problems, including an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity and mental illnesses. Some studies have even found that severe social isolation is as deadly as smoking!
Studies have shown that socialization:
Reduces risk of disability
Reduces depression and pain
Protects the brain from mental decline
Increases the quality and length of life

Here are some ways a home care agency such as Universal Senior Care can help the older adults in your life stay social and protect their health:
Encourage attendance and serve as a personal escort to social outings such as club meetings, community events such as fairs, holiday celebrations and parades, plays, concerts, and sporting events, religious services and church activities.
Play interactive games with clients such as board games, cards and Nintendo Wii
Plan and schedule visits with friends and neighbors
Provide transportation to an adult day facility or a low impact exercise class
Provide companionship during family celebrations or vacations for maximum comfort and safety
Introduce clients to social media such as Facebook and Skype so they can connect with family and friends even if they are homebound

Let Universal Senior Care services coordinate and facilitate social engagement activities while providing the highest quality of care for older adults in the comfort of home. 

Safety
An elderly senior wishes to remain at home but needs some extra help with meals and daily tasks in order to remain healthy and safe.
A senior is losing his or her eyesight, has lost a driver’s license and would like transportation, assistance with daily tasks and assistance with safety and tips to make living at home more comfortable.

Return Home from the Hospital, a Nursing or Rehab Facility
A person is being discharged from the hospital or a skilled nursing or rehabilitation facility and requires transportation home and assistance with picking up medications, grocery shopping, making meals and tidying up.
Care is needed in the 72-hour period between hospital discharge and when a home health nurse is scheduled to start services and provide some assistance
A person is recovering after a stroke
A person is recovering after a heart attack or heart surgery
A person is returning home after an injury or an illness

Death of a Spouse or Caregiving Family Member
A caregiving spouse has died and the family needs a temporary or long-term care solution for the person for whom care was provided
A caregiver is needed during the funeral service so all the family can attend
A frail senior has lost a spouse recently and is unused to living at home alone and could benefit from companionship, and/or help with meals, transportation and housework

Education and Help Managing Chronic Disease Symptoms
Parkinson’s as well as many other chronic, debilitating conditions
Diabetes
COPD
Alzheimer’s/dementia
Multiple sclerosis

Increasing Frailty
A senior lives alone and is becoming increasingly frail and the family is concerned about safety
A senior is recovering from hip surgery and is prone to another fall

Recovering from Illness, Cancer or Surgery
A person is recovering from an acute illness and requires extra care during recovery
A person needs some extra help at home to assist while recuperating from chemotherapy treatments
A person is homebound after elective surgery

Caregiver Requires Some Time off from Caregiving
A family caregiver would like some assistance with care in order to get some respite from the demanding care needs being provided
A family caregiver needs some assistance in order to go to work
A caregiver is needed during a family vacation (some agencies offer care during travel, or even travel assistance/accompaniment) 

• ABA Commission on Law and Aging
Legal resources from the American Bar Association to better equip you to understand elder law rights, guardianship, health care decision making and more.

• The Alzheimer’s Association
The Alzheimer’s Association has both local resources by zip code including support groups, as well as national resources and a large amount of educational material.

• Home Care Association of America
HCAOA represents more than 2,700 member organizations and over 500,000 caregivers providing private in-home care services for the elderly and disabled. Look here for information on the industry and how it may affect you and your loved one’s care.

• National Council on Aging
A national organization with a mission to help people aged 60+ meet the challenges of aging. By partnering with nonprofit organizations, government, and businesses, NCOA provides innovative community programs and services, online help, and advocacy. 

• Veteran’s Aid & Attendance and Housebound Benefits
Learn about aid and pension benefits for those seniors who are United States veteran