As children of elderly parents, it can be difficult to witness the progressing age of our lifelong role models. These are the people we looked up to since birth. Our parents took care of our every need.
How can it be that now we are in the position that we must take care of their needs?
It is the cycle of life as the young grow old, and the children must take on the role of caring for our parents.
But how do we know when it is time to reverse those roles?
One of the first signs we might notice is that our elders are slowing down. Our elder is taking longer to complete daily errands and chores. They may move more slowly, and perhaps even are losing their balance, leaning on furniture or walls as they pass by.
Falls are a red flag that someone is increasingly unsteady and may need to consider using a cane or even a walker. With age, falls become ever riskier as bones can take longer to heal if they heal at all. Watch for bruising or cuts that may indicate a fall.
Another sign of a need for assistance can be growing clutter in the home. Household chores become more demanding with deteriorating physical ability. Dishes accumulate in the sink. Layers of dust thicken. Laundry piles up, and the usually well-tended garden is full of weeds.
Not only the household shows neglect, but your elder may have begun to neglect personal hygiene as well. They may not dress appropriately for the weather or change their clothes at all.
Sometimes eating habits change as your elder may have lost the appetite of a younger and more physically active person. Cooking may have become more difficult, and grocery shopping too demanding.
A pile of unopened mail may indicate unpaid bills, another sign of an elder losing the ability to manage obligations, while too many fender benders with the car could indicate a loss of driving ability.
And while we tend to joke about “senior moments” as the years add on, we may notice that our elders forget beyond the usual lapse in memory. They may have left a stove burner burning or forget the name of a long beloved pet. While forgetting where we put the car keys is common at all ages, forgetting the purpose of the keys could indicate signs of dementia.
Our usually smart and savvy parents may suddenly have become gullible to obvious scams.
When we see these types of indications that our elders are in need of assistance, Senior Care Partners P.A.C.E. has the solution. Our representatives can guide you through the maze of possible solutions, from medical care, to insurance needs, to the kind of assistance your loved one needs to keep them safely at home. Yes, we can even do the grocery shopping.
Give us a call. We can lift those worries off your shoulders so that you can enjoy your time with Mom and Dad again, rather than worry about their wellbeing and safety.
