Elderly Parents Need Help: 5 Signs
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It’s never easy to watch your parents deteriorate as they get older, as you were once their child. You have always been the one that’s been cared for, not the one that’s done the caring, so it doesn’t make it easy when you see how much your parents are struggling.
There is always a moment or a line where you decide that you’ve had enough of watching them struggle and now you want to help. But knowing what those clear signs are that your elderly parents need help is impossible to spot sometimes. Sometimes the signs that they need help are so subtle that you don’t know the difference between them just needing some company and them needing some additional care.
If they already have carers, maybe you’d like to offer respite care and spend a little more time with your parents at home. The goal for most adults is to be able to live at home and age in place, but it’s not always a possibility.If you’re worried that they may need some additional help, then let’s take a look at some clear signs that they do need that.
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5 Signs Elderly Parents Need Help
You’ve noticed they are slipping in their personal hygiene.
If your parents have always been rather proud and always brush their teeth and have daily showers, you’re going to notice straight away when your once groomed parent doesn’t seem to be bathing. Maybe their hair is no longer brushed or put up into a nice style, or they’re not getting any help to do so. Sometimes it can be because they need an additional person to help, or they’re afraid to slip. Getting in and out of the bathroom or the shower could be difficult, so they might forget to bathe all together in other instances.
It’s recommended that you schedule time to visit a couple times a week to assist them with bathing, laundry, and other grooming tasks to keep them clean. Then talk to a doctor about hiring home care. If they’ve never had it before. You might not be able to dedicate as much time as you’d like, so having somebody that you trust go in to do it for you can help.
They are avoiding social interaction.
If you watched your parents have a lot of fun with friends and family growing up and all of a sudden they’re no longer seeing those friends anymore, then you’re going to notice that straight away. Even if they weren’t a particular social butterfly, the chances are they still made time to go out into the world and see people. They may have even attended church. But this can change as time moves forward and if they’re no longer making an effort to go out into social situations or to see their friends, then they may need some additional help.
They’re giving away a lot of their money.
Financial abuse is a big problem among older adults. In some instances, family members, friends or caregivers are to blame, and they take more than they should. Your senior parent may not feel able to say no when somebody asks them for money, and therefore they are sending out a lot of their cash to charities or to strangers. If you are worried about your parents being exploited then you need to contact the police and contact some care services to help with some support here.
They’re not doing well driving anymore.
Reflexes and reaction times get slower with age, and it’s always a good idea to retake a drivers test as you get into those elderly years. However, that’s often insulting to older adults to suggest they need a re-test and if you’re noticing that your parents driving is more erratic than ever than before, then you need to start looking at helping them out and taking off the burden of driving for them. That doesn’t mean you have to become a personal chauffeur, but it does mean that you need to show up more to be able to help them with their errands.
They’re losing weight.
One of the clear signs that they need extra help is that they have lost a lot of weight. It’s the fact that cooking meals can be time consuming and difficult, but for somebody aging in the home, they may have trouble reading labels or chopping up their ingredients if your parents look like they’re losing a lot of weight or their clothes look too big for them. It may be because they’re just not eating properly anymore. There are meal services that can help, but try and pop in to make some meals for them and eat with them. It’s good for them socially and also for you to know that they are doing better.
In conclusion, recognizing the signs that your elderly parents may need help is never easy, but it’s an important step in ensuring their well-being and quality of life. From changes in personal hygiene and social withdrawal to financial vulnerabilities and weight loss, these indicators can signal a need for additional care and support. Taking the time to observe, communicate, and act can make a significant difference, whether it involves stepping in personally or enlisting professional assistance. Remember, the ultimate goal is to provide them with the care and comfort they need to live safely and with dignity, while cherishing the time you have together.
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