Continuing to live at home is an important value for many people as they get older. However, living at home independently can also bring unique challenges as time goes on. It is important to be aware of these challenges and to look out for the signs that it might be time to begin aged care support services for you or your loved ones. Here are some indicators that you should start considering aged care support services.
- Home maintenance is becoming overwhelming
While living at home brings many benefits, including the enjoyment of your own space, the maintenance involved in upkeeping a home can also become overwhelming. Whether it be chores building up, trip hazards, broken appliances, or a neglected garden, maintaining a clean and safe home can sometimes require external support and organisation. At Co.As.It., our Home Care Packages cover many of the costs and services involved in home maintenance, to ensure that our community members can continue to live safely and comfortably in their homes. For example, our lovely care workers can come once a week to assist with changing bed sheets or light cleaning. Or our skilled coordinators can order in specialised equipment such as handrails for safety, recliner chairs for comfort or exercise devices for health improvement. If you or your loved one’s home is becoming more difficult to maintain, or could benefit from some improvements, then it is a good time to start considering aged care support services.
- Mobility is changing
As our bodies age, our mobility capacities also change. Changing mobility might look like more difficulty walking, less confidence with driving, reduced range of motion due to pain, accident or injury or simply not being able to do the kind of activities you used to do. If you or your loved one’s mobility has changed or declined recently, it is probably a good time to start considering aged care services. At Co.As.It., we have many Home Care Services to assist with changes in mobility, including transport to appointments, walking buddies, exercise classes, at-home physiotherapy and podiatry to name a few. Even though mobility might change, we still believe in supporting our community to be as active as possible, ensuring they can be both safe and enjoy maximum freedoms while continuing to live at home.
- Social contact is declining
A common challenge that people experience when continuing to live at home is that of reduced social contact. Living in a more isolated neighbourhood, friends moving away, reduced mobility to travel and mental health issues like depression and anxiety can all get in the way of frequent and consistent social contact. Some signs of social withdrawal in you or your loved one might include being less energised to leave the house or see family, declining invitations to connect or feeling lonely. If you or your loved one is lacking in social contact or starting to socially withdraw, then this is a good indicator that you should start engaging aged care support services. At Co.As.It., we offer a range of services to enhance the social connectedness of our community members. Our Social Support Groups facilitate opportunities for people to meet, with our friendly bus drivers picking up community members and driving them to an activity or centre where they can share in outings, meals, games and conversations. Alternatively, our Community Visitors Scheme involves a more one-on-one approach where our wonderful volunteers provide at-home visits for company and relationship building with our community members. Finally, our Counselling & Community Support Team can assist with providing therapeutic support to community members who may be lacking the motivation or confidence to connect socially.
Challenges with home maintenance, reduced mobility and social withdrawal are just some of the indicators that you or your loved one should start engaging Aged Care Support Services. At Co.As.It., our Home Care Package inclusions ensure that our community members are safely and comfortably supported to continue living at home. If you are interested in being assessed for a Home Care Package or have a question about what Aged Care Support Services are available, then contact us on 9564 0744 or email us at info@coasit.org.au
