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Determine If Additional Care Is Needed

Assessing Your Needs

In many cases it may be obvious. Mom is forgetting to take her medications or cannot remember where they are. Dad is repeating himself or losing his balance and falling. For many, those times are the trigger for additional care, whether hired assistance in the home or considering a move to a retirement facility.

In other cases, it is more subtle. Dad is having more trouble parking in the garage and the car has more scratches. Mom doesn't dress as neatly or keep the house as tidy as before. In such cases recognizing when additional care is needed may be less obvious. If unsure whether a loved one is ready for extra care in the home or a move to a retirement facility, this checklist may prove helpful.

Evaluate the need requirement for the ten tasks below, then tabulate and recommendations are provided below.



     1  2  3  4 5 
HYGIENE Dressing Unable, requires total assistance Requires help with all items Requires help with shoelaces, zippers, belt Able to perform, but clothes must be arranged Dresses Independently
  Bathing and Toileting Unable, requires total assistance Requires assistance with undressing Able to perform with minimal help Able to perform with supervision and occasional help Baths and toilets independently
 

Control

(Continence)
of

Bladder and Bowels

 Total lack of bowel or bladder control Frequent Accidents Occasional accidents requiring assistance Occasional Incontinence, but properly cares for self Total control of bladder and bowels
EATING AND MEAL PREPARATION Eating and Nutrition Requires feeding  Eats better when fed, losing weight  Eats only about half of meals  Eats less than usual, but adequate  Eating well, good nutritional status
  Meal Preparation   Unable to prepare or obtain meals  Requires delivery or assistance with preparation  Can assist, but needs main meals prepared daily  Can prepare meals if food is obtained  Obtains groceries and prepares meals independently
 ASSISTANCE WITH CHORES Household Chores  Unable to perform basic cleaning and up keeping  Regularly requires help with most housekeeping  Regularly requires help with some housekeeping  Requires only intermittent housekeeping  Performs household chores independently
 MEDICATION ASSISTANCE Medications  Unable to identify or self administer Regularly requires reminders Occasionally requires reminders   Takes medications on schedule if pre-arranged  Properly arranges and takes medications independently
 WALKING AND TRANSFERS Walking Unsteady balance, prone to falls  Unable to move from bed to chair without help Wheelchair dependent, requires assistance Uses walking aid without assistance   Walks Independently without assist device
 MENTAL AND SPIRITUAL Mental Status   Confused and disoriented to place, time  Poor judgment of risk, safety, not necessarily confused  Requires frequent redirection  Usually appropriate, requires occasional redirection  Alert and oriented to person, place, time; Good judgment
  Mood  Depressed and withdrawn or frequently angry, agitated with others Frequently sad, reflects on self worth  Apathy, flat behavior, or occasional anger  Generally good spirits, less joyful than usual  Good in spirits 
             


Recommended Options (Based on tabulated score):

Below 25 - Home Care, Skilled Nursing, or Nursing Home

   25 to 29-  Home Care, Skilled Nursing, Nursing Home, or Assisted Living

   30 to 39 - Home Care, Skilled Nursing, Assisted Living

   40 to 50 - Home Independently, Independent Living, Assisted Living, +/- Home Care


Please note that the above assessment is for use as an assessment tool to facilitate thought and discussion only and does not constitute a formal recommendation.  Each case must be evaluated individually.
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