What are some good assessment tools used to assess the needs of someone needing some assistance to stay independent in their own home?

The general rule is how they handle their activities of daily living such as dressing, eating and general self care. You may want to hire an agency to evaluate the person if you are not sure yourself. However, with the aid of a personal alarm system so that he or she can summon help if there is an emergency, plus someone to check daily and assist when necessary, many people can live independently for a long time.
If this person needs help dressing, walking, cooking and remembering medicines, you may want to consider limited in-home health care through an agency for just the hours needed. The Alzheimer's Association can give you a good idea of where to draw the line, if there are cognitive issues involved. Independence is really a very personal matter, and much depends on the home where the person lives (can they get to the bathroom without going up or down stairs?). Is the bedroom on the same floor. Can they do at least limited cooking? Talk with the person, observe his or her comfort level with being alone, and do consider a personal alarm system. There are many on the market. You can get recommendations for your area by checking with a local in-home care agency or hospital. Take care,
Carol

The book "Stop Alzheimer's Now," by Bruce Fife, includes appendixes with Mental Status Tests, and Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale. Not only that, the book has a tremendous amount of helpful medical information. I have no financial interest in this book, but I bought one copy for myself, then three more for friends.

My father is 94 and lives on his own. We have arranged private carers to go twice a day so they can cook his meals and see if he is alright. He has a personal alarm for about 10 years and now wears his pendant alarm around his neck all the time. He has macular degeneration and his eyesight has got worse. He has arthritis in his knees, pains in his back and shoulder. He has earing aids and doesnt wear them when he answers the phone because he can hear better without them. I am going to sort another gardener through Age Concern. My father told me he doesnt want to live with me, my sister or go into a Nursing Home. He does have difficulty dressing and cooking his meals. He is very independent man and likes to cook his own meals but occasionally he lets the carer cook his meals. He will not have meals on wheels but I am trying to persuade him to have them again. He has had numerous falls thats why he now wears his pendant alarm. I visit my father once a week and my sister visits once a week. He is a stubborn man. I mowed his lawn last week and he told me women shouldnt do that sort of thing. I just take every day as it comes. I am 62 and have nursed my 68 husband after his major operation removing a benign tumour from his pancrea (two years ago) he could have died if it had been left. I feel fortunate my husband is still with me. It is a struggle but other people are worse off. Keep thinking positive and things always work out in the end.