If your elderly loved one has moved into a care home, then setting up a visiting schedule was probably your priority. But did you ever think to ask them when they’d like you to visit? If you’re anything like most of us, then the answer may well be no. After all, you’ve been busy planning around school pickups and your own social life! But did you know this can lead to a schedule that’s ill-suited for the one person it’s supposed to help? And here are some sure signs that’s exactly what’s happened.
1 – Missing Social Events
You may have scheduled your care home visits to work around your evening dance class, but what about your loved one? You see, they may be in a care home now, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have any options to socialize. In fact, quality care homes now actively encourage socialization that might include bingo nights, dance clubs, and much more. Your loved one would probably be more than willing to forgo these things for your sake, but they shouldn’t – building a community where they’re at is hugely important. So, be sure to familiarize yourself with the care home social schedule, and ask your loved one subtly what they’d be interested in attending. Then you can plan your visits around it each time.
Image Source: CC0 License Photo by Wellness Gallery Catalyst Foundation
2 – Signs of Fatigue
Perhaps you can only visit your loved one in the evenings, or on a day when they’ve already had a visitor or two. There’s nothing inherently wrong with this, unless your loved one is showing clear signs of social fatigue during your visits, or you notice that they seem generally exhausted. Warning signs like falling asleep during your visit, or seeming quiet and unable to engage, can all point to this problem. If you’re worried that this is the case, then your best option is to either change your visits to a day when nobody else comes or simply attempt earlier visits, when your loved one is likely to have more energy.
3 – Failure to See Something Worrying
Image Source: CC0 License Photo by Kampus Production
Does your loved one complain of a staff member who works shifts that sit outside of your current visiting schedule? Do they experience difficulties during meal times, or other key times of day when you’re not around? If yes, then it’s well worth rearranging your visiting schedule to get to the bottom of things. The sad reality is that most cases of care home neglect happen once visitors have left. By changing your schedule, you can more easily protect your loved one. This also allows you to spot any concerning staff behavior that might then lead you to seek elder abuse legal help that you wouldn’t have considered necessary otherwise. This is vital for your loved one’s happiness, and it can also go a long way towards putting your mind at ease.
Care home visiting hours are always tricky to navigate, but it can get a lot easier when you know to work around these key things.
Top Photo by Jsme MILA
