In elderly people, small injuries can lead to dangerous situations. This is one reason why it can be quite upsetting when you can’t contact your elderly loved one. It is even more concerning if your loved one has pre-existing health conditions or limited mobility.
Regularly checking in on your loved one can help ease your mind a bit. However, the question remains – when should you worry? Here is some important information that every home care specialist and family caregiver should know when it comes to wellness checks and caring for an elderly adult.
Elderly Adult Wellness Checks
If you aren’t able to get a hold of your elderly loved one, you can have the police implement a wellness check. It can be difficult to decide when you should ask someone to do a wellness check. If your elderly loved one has been acting unusual or they aren’t responding to your calls for some time when they usually do, it might be time to have a wellness check done. You need to use your best judgment to decide if your loved one is acting differently than usual. Some guidelines include the following:
- Your loved one always answers their phone. However, they haven’t answered it all day or for a couple of days in a row. This might mean something has happened to them and you might want to ask for a wellness check.
- Your elderly loved one didn’t pick up their phone, so you decided to visit them to check on them. However, they don’t answer their door. This would certainly be a time to request a wellness check.
- If you have other reasons to believe your elderly loved one might be in serious danger, then you may want to have a wellness check done.
- In addition to not being able to contact your loved one, it is very important to keep in contact with your loved one when it is hot outside. The elderly population is more at risk of heat-related illnesses when the weather is hot.
Tips on Asking for a Wellness Check
If you are thinking about asking for a wellness check, it is pretty simple. You can request one by contacting your local police officials. Just remember to only call 911 if and when you strongly feel your elderly loved one is in immediate danger or if there is an emergency situation. It is pretty common for police to be called out for a wellness check. Don’t feel stressed if you need to call them.
Checking on Your Elderly Loved One on Your Own
Sometimes we all get busy, so it can be a little difficult to find time to regularly check in on your elderly loved ones. However, you should know there are companies that offer elderly check-in assistance. Some of these programs will use robocalling to contact your loved one. If your elderly loved one doesn’t respond to these calls, the company will contact their emergency contact or ask the police to do a wellness check. You could also hire elderly care providers to help care for and check in on your elderly loved one.
Conclusion
It is natural to worry about an elderly loved one, especially if you are having trouble contacting them. However, it is important to remember that if you feel your loved one is in danger, hurt, or need emergency help, you can speak to your local police department and ask them to do a wellness check.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Elderly Care in Hillsborough, CA, call the caring staff at Aviva In-Home Care.
Call today: (415) 795-2203
Sources
Nia.nih.gov
Healthypeople.gov
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