When Julia* called CJFS about her mother, she wasn’t sure what she was looking for. Her mother was living at home by herself and while she had slowed down, she was still mobile, and able to drive to the store, or the bank or to visit with friends. There wasn’t a crisis. In fact, the family wasn’t sure they needed any help. Still, they agreed to meet with one of our social workers for an in-home assessment. What they discovered surprised them.
Julia visited often, but usually she took her mom out for meals. She didn’t often open the fridge and didn’t realize that there wasn’t much in the house. Her mom, who was once a fabulous cook, found it hard to stand long enough to prepare a meal and then clean it up. Plus, cooking for one didn’t have much meaning after feeding a family for decades. She was not eating much and was sometimes skipping meals if no one was with her.
Nutrition was just one area that the social worker identified where additional support could help improve safety, reduce stress, and make it easier for Mom to remain independent at home. Together, they talked about what was important to Julia’s mom and how she envisioned aging at home. With her goals and priorities in mind, they explored practical solutions, available resources, and services that could help address current concerns and those in the future.
Families discovering unmet needs through an assessment is something we see often. Many people don’t realize they could benefit from support until someone helps them look at the whole picture. Often families wait until a crisis happens to begin reaching out for help. Implementing effective need-based solutions in your loved one’s life can help prevent a crisis from even occurring. Outside perspectives, like those of our social workers, can identify opportunities, resources, and solutions that families may not know exist.
That’s why we’ve created a new online assessment tool. In just a few minutes, you can answer a series of questions designed to help identify areas where you or a loved one my benefit from additional support . Based on your responses, our assessment tool will help you identify areas that are becoming barriers to independence. And, CJFS is here to help.
Whether you’re navigating aging, caregiving responsibilities, concerns about safety at home, or simply wondering if additional resources might be helpful, this assessment is a first step in finding direction. You don’t have to have all the answers. You don’t even have to know whether you need help. Take the assessment today and discover how CJFS may be able to help you or someone you love continue to live well and age well.
Use the link below to take the short, free assessment and/or call 205.879.3438 to learn how CJFS services may help you or your loved one live more safely, independently, and confidently.
