Home for the holidays: Tips to Evaluate Your Parents Well-Being
The holidays are all about spending quality time with loved ones. This could also be a great time to reconnect and check in on an aging parent or loved one who is living alone. It can be hard to tell how your senior parents are really doing at home when you don’t live near them. The thought of a parent aging can bring on feelings of anxiety for many adult children, but instead of letting these feelings of anxiety and stress overwhelm you this holiday season, create a plan.
Here are several warning signs to look out for.
If your loved one or parent has experienced any of the following, it may be wise to consider senior living. These warning signs include:
- Personal Hygiene: An early indicator that a parent or other senior loved one is struggling is their personal appearance. Have you noticed a change in their hygiene habits? Is their clothing appropriate for the time of day and season of the year? Changes in this area can be signs an older adult is having trouble with personal care.
- Less Social: Has an always involved and social older loved one with drawn from favorite pastimes and organizations? It might be a sign they are having problems with transportation or that they are aware something is wrong but aren’t sure what it is.
- Depression: Along those same lines is a case of the blues that goes on for many months. Seniors who are isolated or live alone are at higher risk for depression. If the older adult in your family seems tired, uninterested in carrying on a conversation or is sleeping a lot, it might be time to intervene. Make an appointment with their primary care physician.
- Falls: Have they experienced any falls or near falls?Is your senior loved one struggling with balance problems or are they a little unsteady on their feet? Older homes may not be the safest environment for a senior who is experiencing mobility issues. Falls remain the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries among seniors.
- Accidents: When a senior driver bumps their car into things like a curb or the garage door, it might not seem like a serious concern. But small accidents can indicate they may not be safe behind the wheel of a car any longer. Slower reflexes, problems with vision and hearing loss are just a few reasons why.
- Housekeeping: If your parent has always kept a tidy house, it is usually easy to spot when there might be a problem. Is laundry piled up? Is the trash overflowing? A dirty house is not only a sign a loved one is struggling, but it can also present health and safety risks.
- Finances: Is your senior family member safely managing their finances? There are a few ways to tell. Are bills stacked up unopened on their counter or desk? Another tip-off is calls from bill collectors. When an older adult is having trouble keeping their financial house in order, they may pay some bills twice while neglecting others.
- Nutrition: When you visit your loved one this holiday season, peek inside their pantry and refrigerator. Are they full of out-of-dated foods? Does your senior loved one’s diet seem to consist primarily of fast food? Poor nutrition can contribute to a variety of health conditions, as well as increase their risk for a fall.
- Mismanaging Medication: Mistakes with medication are a leading reason seniors end up in the emergency department of a hospital every year. Some take too much medication and others forget to take it altogether. That’s why medication management is one of the most utilized services in senior living communities.
Unfortunately, most individuals don’t know the next steps to finding senior living as it can be overwhelming. Understand- ing the available care options will be extremely helpful in conversations you have with your parents. Proper planning and contacting a compassionate Senior Living Placement Advisor is the first step to evaluate the wide variety of senior living services and options.
Next Level is providing a no-cost, senior care placement and referral service for in-home care, independent retirement options, assisted living, memory care, and nursing facilities. Next Level is a leader in providing an easier way to navigate the many avail- able care options, featuring expert placement advisors, experts to assist with obtaining Medicaid and VA benefits. The Next Level team is available every day, including Saturday and Sunday to provide an in-depth knowledge of each assisted living and senior living options. Next Level serves hundreds of senior living options and the growing population of seniors. By clearly explaining the available senior living options and being there every step of the way, Next Level significantly increases a happy outcome while decreasing an overall difficult transition.
For more information about Next Level or to connect with an advisor, visit www.arrowsenioradvisors.com or call 405-486-9976.
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