My aging father has been getting worse mentally for the last few years. I noticed a fast decline after he had hit his head when he slipped on ice in 2015. He struggles at times to the point where we had to take away his car keys as he was thinking he had to get to work. He hasn't worked in 20 years now. My mother on the other had is just forgetful at times but is still mentally healthy for her age I'd say.
I am wondering at what point a person should know to reach how for professional help to come in and assist with day to day living. It is getting a bit hard on my mom but she is insisting that he doesn't need extra care. I want to know from a professional's standpoint on the subject.
Thank you for your responses. I certainly feel a lot better having reached out to someone who knows how this all works and how has experience with it. I definitely don't want to wait until he is in a bad way.
I am going to check out that Guide right now. Thanks again!
You may also find this article helpful. There are a couple documents that can help identify the needs of your mom/ dad and what you or another family member can assist with.
https://www.upwardhealthcare.com/single-post/Family-Caregiver-Guide
This is an excellent question and one we hear a lot. I know you asked about assistance for day-to-day care. But the side-question I would ask, what type of "professional help" do you need? There are a multitude of professional services: medical, psychological, care-giving..... I would suggest you first ensure that you have the right diagnoses for your parents. This will inform what type of cognitive issues you are dealing with and what type of care you may dealing with now and in the future. You may also need help defining that type of care and the safety issues surrounding cognitive decline. Back to your original question - when to bring in care-givers. Many people wait until a crisis hits and that is too late. You need to gauge the ability of your parents' current support system, understand the gaps (or where someone is doing too much and approaching burnout). Then fill those gaps with a professional care-giving agency. Your mother may accept a small amount of help now, especially if you let her know it is for your peace of mind. This care can often grow as she begins to see the benefits.