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Senior Living

2003-12-01 13:02:00

Do my parents need help?

: How can I determine if my aging parents are in need of care or assistance?

ANSWER: It is not uncommon for the adult children of seniors to have some concerns about how their parents are doing.  This holiday season while you're enjoying the companionship of your family make good use of your visit to review your aging parents' and loved ones' living status.    Many holiday traditions tempt your five senses.  These five senses can also be used to evaluate the status of elderly family members. Families often overlook a variety of warning signs such as forgetfulness, lack of house cleaning or a decrease in physical appearance by writing them off to "old age". Below is a checklist using each of your five senses that lists key indicators or warning signs to help determine if your family members are in need of additional care or assistance:SIGHT - Looking at the senior's appearance can be a sign that they are being limited either physically or mentally from completing otherwise normal daily tasks.     Are they wearing clothing with food stains? Is their clothing appropriate for the weather? Is their hair completely combed?  Do their teeth appear clean?  Are there many different prescriptions?  Do the medications come from different doctors or pharmacies?  What about the expiration dates on the medications? Do they remember to take their meds?SOUND - Listening to what and how seniors speak can tell you a lot about their current mental status.  Don't assume that "old age" is causing these problems. Instead be alert to the possibility of declining health.   Do they call you by name?  Are they speaking normally? Is their speech pattern different?  Are they up on the news?  Do they participate in conversation? Do they respond appropriately? Do they seem to be depressed?SMELL - Using your nose as an indicator can help you determine if your family member is bathing properly, participating in otherwise normal activities (cleaning their house), or whether or not they are eating regularly (if they have spoiled food in their kitchen).    Does their living environment possess any unpleasant odors?  Does the refrigerator or cupboards smell?  Are the plants thriving?  Is there an unusual amount of garbage, clutter, dust, or dirt? Is the kitchen and bathroom sanitary?TASTE - Tasting their food and sorting through their refrigerator and cabinets can help you determine if they are eating healthy or even worse, eating expired or spoiled food.     Do they have fresh and stocked pantry items? Look at the expiration dates.  How does the food taste?  Do they eat regularly? Do they follow their dietary plan (if prescribed by their doctor)? Do they eat excess sweets?TOUCH - A simple hug could tell you that your family member is fragile, losing weight and putting him or herself in jeopardy of injury or even malnourishment from not eating properly.   Do they appear healthy?  Touch their skin - is it soft, supple and is the color normal? Do they have unusual tearing or bruising of the skin? Are they losing weight?  Do they need assistance when mobile?   If you sense a problem based on the above indictors, you and other family members should waste no time in taking the appropriate next steps. As difficult as the process might be, keep reminding yourself that by being proactive, as a result of your observations, you will not only provide safety for your family member, but will also keep them happy and healthy for years to come.