Senior Living Advice: Holiday trips home can uncover plenty
By BETH DOW, Home Helpers of GA & AL
For many of you, this holiday season will mean trips back home to see your aging parents and loved ones.
This may be the first “face to face” meeting you have had in a while. While you are there, you may notice changes in them or changes in their living conditions.
This may be a good chance to determine if they may need additional help in the home or even if it is safe for them to be living alone at all.
Below are a few things to look for that may be an indication that some adjustments need to be made.
The No. 1 concern for seniors is falls. Now most likely they are not just going to come out and tell you they have fallen, so look for any telltale signs like cuts or bruises. You could also tell an antidote about the last time you took a “stupid” fall for no reason and follow it up with, “have you ever done that?” In a group, where everyone is telling their “fall stories”, the environment may be more open for your loved one to tell you about their last fall or falls.
The next biggest concern is driving. How do you really know if your loved one should still be driving? Well you could take a ride with them. If you are not brave enough to do that, take a look around their car. Do you see any dents or scraps? Pay special attention to the corners of the car. If they park in a garage or carport, is there any damage to the structure that may have been made by the car? The condition of the car and the structure around where it is parked can tell you a lot.
Has your loved one lost a lot of weight since the last time you saw them? Are they more unkempt or appear to be neglecting their hygiene? Both are signs of possible physical and or mental decline.
Is the house messier or in more disrepair than in years past? Do you see stacks of unopened mail?
If during or after your visit you do have concerns, talk to your loved one. They may have been afraid to tell you what has been going on or they may not even be aware the decline has occurred.
The issues listed above do not mean it is time to pack them up and send them off. But it does mean that a good physical exam may need to happen. It may mean that some additional care in the home is needed, or that alternative ways of transportation need to be found. Or it may mean that they no longer need to live alone.
Your aging loved ones need your love, concern, attention and sometimes, your help. This year when you visit your aging family, look around and make sure they are living as safe and sound as they can be.
Beth Dow is a Dementia and Alzheimer’s Educator, CAEd and Geriatric Care Manager. She is also the owner of Home Helpers of GA & AL in Newnan. Readers can contact her by email at [email protected].
