In an ideal world, both your mother and father live well into their nineties with only minor, if any, health issues and enjoy living in their home entirely independently as long as humanly possible.
However, as a loving and committed son or daughter, you will naturally want to ensure that your parents are happy and coping with running their home and taking care of their responsibilities. As it can be somewhat difficult to identify any potential issues with such matters, especially as your parents are likely to conceal any struggles from you in an effort to not worry you, continue reading.
Here are three major warning signs that your elderly parents may need extra assistance.
1. Their Personal Hygiene Levels are Slipping
Suppose your memories of your parents are always of immaculate attire and strong, memory-associated aftershaves and perfumes. In that case, you will be able to readily notice if things are not as they used to be.
Now, as people get older, they naturally stop being quite as active. As such, a day or two in a typical week may occur, especially throughout the colder winter months, whereby they do not leave the house. However, if you visit on such a day and they are still in their nightwear, their hair appears unbrushed, and there is no evidence that the bath or shower has been used. This could be a cause for concern.
2. They Seem to Appear Lost in Familiar Settings
Again, anyone of any age can become confused as to why they entered a room or even drive the wrong way to a location they have visited many times in the past.
However, when out grocery shopping with your elderly parents, for example, in a store that they have visited hundreds of times before, and they appear disorientated and unsure as to which direction they are headed, then this may be a sign of the early onset of dementia.
If your parent has been recently diagnosed with dementia or another memory-based illness, perhaps a discussion regarding discovering more information about a potential move to a senior living community could be on the cards in the near future.
3. Their Home Appears to Have Changed
Presumably, even if your parents no longer live in your childhood home, you have visited their place of residence many, many times. As a result, you will have a clear and intricate knowledge of how each room appears daily and where things belong.
If, on more than one visit to your elderly parent’s house, you notice that the mail is piling up just underneath the letterbox, there are always dishes and pots in the sink which remain unwashed. Their bedroom appears as if it has not been cleaned in some time, this is certainly something to keep an eye on.
If one or both of your parents have always been on the messy side, this is something to remember, but your natural instincts and close personal and intimate bond with your parents will alert you to changes that are not normal.
Check out the infographic below for more signs to be on the look out for, and preventative measures you can take to keep your elderly loved ones healthy.
Infographic provided by TargetLeads, a Medicare lead mailing company
