Healthy holidays: How are your elderly parents really doing?

The holidays are here. It’s a wonderful time to connect with loved ones and it’s an excellent opportunity to evaluate how elderly parents are doing. Spending extra time with your parents enables you to notice changes in an aging loved one’s condition that may require attention. Even subtle changes can be cause for concern. It’s important to observe: 

• Are your parents keeping up with their personal appearance? Are their clothes clean? Are they maintaining basic hygiene, such as bathing and brushing teeth?

• How is their weight? Losing weight without trying may be a cause for concern. It may indicate dementia, depression, loss of taste or smell, or the development of underlying physical conditions.

• Do you observe personality changes? Look for variations from what has been normal in the past.  Significant personality changes can be an early sign of dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease. A loss of interest in favorite activities and hobbies or social isolation can indicate physical and mental decline.  

• While we all have lapses in memory, are your parents experiencing the inability to follow directions and answer simple questions? Are they getting lost in familiar places? Are they confused about people, places, and time? Are they forgetting to pay bills?

• What is the state of your parents’ home? Are there signs that your parents may be having trouble taking care of themselves? Is there spoiled food in the refrigerator, dirty laundry piling up, garbage not taken out, etc.?

• Are your parents becoming frail? Is there a significant decline in their physical mobility? Are they having difficulty going up and down stairs? Do they exhibit an unbalanced gait? Are they having difficulty standing up or sitting down? Can they maintain their balance?  

• Are your parents taking their medications as prescribed? Are they able to explain their medication schedule to you? Are they attending doctor’s appointments regularly? As people age, it’s easy to let medical conditions fall to the wayside.  

Coming to terms with the reality of a loved one’s mental or physical decline is not easy but if you observe changes or decline — it’s important to address the situation promptly. There are many options available to provide your parents with the support they need to ensure their quality of life. The time to find trusted, caring support is before a crisis occurs — not in the middle of it.  

The writer is chief executive officer of Paladin Life Care, an area company that provides personalized services for seniors and individuals with disabilities in Rappahannock, Fauquier, Culpeper, Prince William and around the region. Paladin can be reached at info@paladinlifecare.com or 703-879-6992.