You and your elderly family member may need to talk in the near future about whether she should be living on her own or not. These topics can help you to determine what you need to know.

Check off Some Big Concerns First

Your first concern when you’re sorting out this question is to determine whether some larger situations are at play. For instance, does your senior have trouble with her hearing or her vision? Can she still drive? Is she having memory issues at all? All of these are big factors that contribute to your overall question. You also need to determine what her overall health conditions mean for her in terms of remaining on her own.

Assess Her Mobility

One other big concern is your senior’s overall mobility. If she’s able to walk well on her own, she may have fewer concerns. if she has balance issues or other problems with being mobile, she may not be able to handle some of her usual household tasks as easily. She may also isolate herself at home more than she should for fear of going out.

Determine if She’s Open to Help

If your elderly family member is open to receiving help from you and from elder care providers, then she may well be able to continue to live on her own. There’s nothing wrong with needing a little bit of extra help and staying at home can help her to feel as independent as possible. if your senior is less open to receiving help from others, she may inadvertently put herself in a situation that is more dangerous for her.

Does She Even Want to Live on Her Own?

One question that family members often forget to ask is whether or not their elderly family member even wants to be living on her own. It’s entirely possible that your senior is capable of living on her own, but she doesn’t want to do so. Likewise, you could have the opposite situation at play. Regardless, take the time to sit down with your elderly family member and talk about what is going on and what she wants.

Once you’ve had a chance to take a look at these issues, you and your elderly family member can determine what the best course of action is for her. Remember that just because she may be fine on her own now, that can still change down the road. It’s important to revisit these questions regularly.

If you or an aging loved one are considering elder care in Houston, TX, please call the caring staff at At Your Side Home Care. We will answer all of your senior care questions. Call today: (832) 271-1600.

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Donna Wrabel, LMSW

Co-Owner at At Your Side Home Care

For most of us, the word "home" evokes warm feelings of comfort, security and well-being. For older adults, home also means holding tight to cherished memories and maintaining self-esteem and independence. When illness, injury or age make life a little more challenging, remaining at home in a comfortable, familiar environment encourages recovery and enhances the quality of life. Home can be defined as a private residence, an independent or assisted living facility or even a short term stay in the hospital, we recognize the additional benefits provided by a personal, professional assistant.

Our Certified Nurse Aides, 24-Hour Live-in Assistants and Home Health Aides are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We also provide the security and confidence of 24-hour Telephone Assistance, so fast, reliable help is always available when it's needed. To learn more about our homecare services see our homecare services page.

Different people need different levels of homecare. To meet the requirements of our clients, At Your Side Homecare maintains consistent staffing levels of caring professionals. Homecare service is available for as little as a few hours a week, or as many as 24 hours a day, seven days a week

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