Independence, both in a physical and an emotional context, is a basic human right and when thinking about your loved ones, you’ll naturally want to help them to maintain their freedom as much as possible. Having said that, where some people can live to 100 in their own home, others may require a little extra assistance in order to maximize their quality of life. 

Here’s how to tell if your elderly loved one is no longer able to live independently on their own. 

Changes in Their Physical Appearance 

Everyone knows the value in presenting yourself well and the correlation with a boost to how you feel inside and especially for those who have previously loved to wear smart clothes and visit the hairdresser regularly, one sign that their loved one may be struggling is if their appearance dramatically changes. Such changes could involve:

• Body odor
• Unwashed clothes
• Weight loss or gain
• Lack of grooming 
• Matted and untidy hair

A Lack of Energy & Low Mood 

Should you find that your relative or close friend seems to be experiencing elongated periods of low mood, or worse still, they’ve have been diagnosed with depression, then action is required.

Talk to your loved one about the myriad of benefits of moving to one form or another of senior living community. If they’re interested in learning more about how such a move will help them, contact care homes like the prominent and respected mavernhouse.co.uk. 

An Inability to Complete Basic Tasks Around the House 

Next, another indicator is if your friend or family member has always kept a neat, tidy and even stylish home, yet now there are dirty cups and plates left in the sink in the kitchen, grime around the bathtub or shower head, unopened mail, and a general musty smell, they could be struggling to keep up with household chores and maintenance. 

In addition, if they’ve begun to hoard, whether this is online orders from a particular clothing company, local newspapers they receive through the letterbox every evening, or even old takeaway wrappers and plastic packaging, encouraging them to at least make an appointment with their medical doctor may well be a good idea.

Slips & Falls Around the Home 

A natural unsteadiness on your feet when the ground is icy, or when you first wake up in the morning before you’re fully alert, is entirely normal, and when people grow older, they do tend to slow down slightly (although this isn’t always the case for everyone.) 

When you notice a bruise or two on their arms or legs, or else notice that they attempt to hide a larger bruise from you when you visit, your loved one may be experiencing regular slips and falls around the home. 

There are a wide range of additions for a house or apartment that are specifically designed to make navigating around on a daily basis considerably easier, and looking into such home modifications and improvements could make a huge positive difference.