According to the Family Caregiver Alliance there’s a 68 percent probability that a disability will keep people 65 or older from performing at least two Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) during the rest of their lives. These ADLs include bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, oral hygiene, grooming, and walking from place to place.
And according to the National Center for Assisted Living, more than 735,000 Americans live in assisted living settings which combine homelike living, a social setting, and ADL assistance. In a 2010 CDC national survey, some 70 percent of residents reported needing help with bathing, just under 60 percent with going outside, and about 45 percent with dressing. Yet, almost one-third of respondents to the same survey reported receiving no ADL assistance at all.
So the first question for yourself, a parent or an older family member is, how much assistance, of what kind, is needed. That’s why our holistic senior care management starts with a detailed three-part assessment – with seniors and their families – of physical, psychosocial and mental status. Then you’ll know what kind of care you need and where it’s needed.
It may be that assistance is needed not for ADLs, but for Instrumental (i.e., non-basic) Activities of Daily Living (IDLs), such as managing money, basic housework, shopping, preparing and cleaning up after meals, and using phones, televisions and computers. For those, we can help you to either provide the needed help yourself or hire someone for significantly less than the cost of an assisted living facility. We can also suggest devices that help seniors perform ADLs at home, such as
· Long-handled sponges for bathing
· Splints to help stabilize wrists and ankles
· Dinnerware like nonskid bowls, soft-grip utensils and plate guards for meals
· Dressing sticks and long-handled shoehorns for dressing without having to bend over
And if our assessment shows that an assisted living facility is, in fact, what’s needed, we can give you honest, objective input about locally available choices.
So please contact us for a 30-minute consultation. It’s a great option for learning more about all your senior care options.