Most clients don’t want to call a home care agency for assistance. After all, we don’t want to need help as we age. And most of us don’t want to pay for it. More often than not, a match between a client and a home care agency starts with a referral from a professional source (like your doctor), a family member (usually a son or daughter), or a close friend or neighbor. People who are close to the client usually take the first step in researching care options.

So when do you know if someone close to you would benefit–and even enjoy–having home care?  You educate yourself on key indicators of help. Our Level of Need Calculator looks at some key factors that contribute to someone needing assistance. Being aware of recurring scenarios is also important. Some scenarios that indicate it’s time to acknowledge the need for help are:

• Frequent falls
• Frequent doctor appoints
• Increase in urinary tract infections
• Forgetfulness
• Trips to the emergency room
• Increase in medications

When these indicators are not acknowledged, health outcomes are usually poor. Ignoring them increases the likelihood of a lifestyle change being forced rather than chosen (i.e., a broken hip from a fall means moving to a a rehab hospital).  If you or your loved one wants to stay home and age in place, it is critical to be alert to these scenarios. Keep in mind that home care doesn’t have to be permanent, invasive, or even from a professional company.

What do I do if I need help or someone I know needs help?

1. Call, email, or Book Now . Even if we’re not the right fit, we’re happy to answer questions and get you connected with the right resources. We can go as fast or slow as you or your loved one needs to go.
2. Plan. Call an elder law attorney. We have three that we highly recommend. Take a peek here. They can help you protect what you have and plan for the quality of life you want to have. The sooner the better. We recommend this step for any client. For some clients, an elder law attorney will meet with you and you won’t need any services. For others, an elder law attorney can be the difference between staying at home as long as you want to or being forced to leave your primary home and move to a facility.
3. Take a look at our Resource Center for more information like Payment Options, Veterans Benefits, and Who we Are at Silver Lining.

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