Dayton Senior AdvisorHow can we tell whether a parent can still live alone?
Look at what happens on an ordinary day: whether meals are eaten, medications taken correctly, bills paid, the house kept up, and whether there have been falls, scorched pans, getting lost while driving or unexplained bruises.
Visit unannounced at different times of day, check the refrigerator and the mail, and ask neighbors what they notice. A doctor's visit with a memory screen and a home safety evaluation by an occupational therapist can turn worry into specific problems that can be fixed.
What help is available at home around Dayton?
Non-medical home care agencies, home-delivered meals, emergency response systems, adult day programs and, for those who qualify, PASSPORT, which the Area Agency on Aging, PSA 2 arranges in all six counties we cover.
ODH's roster counts 211 licensed non-medical home health agencies with offices in the six counties, 162 of them in Montgomery County. Many towns also run senior centers with transportation and meals. Start with the Area Agency on Aging at 1-800-258-7277 for a list of services in your parent's county, and ask about Older Americans Act services, which do not require Medicaid.
Which home changes prevent the most falls?
Grab bars in the bathroom, a raised toilet seat, removing loose rugs, better lighting on stairs and at night, handrails on both sides of stairs, and keeping everyday items within reach.
An occupational therapist through Medicare home health or an outpatient referral can assess the home. PASSPORT can pay for minor modifications for eligible participants. A medical alert device helps only if it is worn, including in the shower.
When does living alone become too risky?
When a parent cannot call for help or would not remember to, leaves the stove on, wanders, misses medications that matter, is losing weight, or when the family caregiver's help has become a second full-time job.
Any one of these can sometimes be managed; several together usually mean a move to assisted living or memory care is safer. Our home care or assisted living comparison shows the cost side.
What if a parent refuses help?
An adult with decision-making capacity has the right to take risks, so start small with help framed around what they value, involve their doctor, and plan for the crisis you fear; if you believe they are being neglected or exploited, call Adult Protective Services.
In Montgomery County APS takes reports 24 hours a day at (937) 225-4906; other counties' Job and Family Services offices take them locally, and the statewide line is 1-855-644-6277. A durable power of attorney and health care power of attorney, signed while your parent can still do so, prevent many later problems.
Side by side
| Staying home can work when | A move is usually safer when | |
|---|---|---|
| Days | Help covers the risky tasks | Risks arise all day, unpredictably |
| Nights | Nights are safe | Night wandering or falls occur |
| Health | Medications and meals are managed | Weight loss or missed medications continue |
| Family | Caregivers are coping | The main caregiver is burning out |
Drawn from Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3721, Ohio Administrative Code Chapters 3701-16 and 5160:1-6, ODH and Ohio Department of Aging publications, Ohio Medicaid letters, CareScout, CMS and the VA; our editorial standards explain how we check them.
