Age comes with wisdom, but as one ages, they lose their cognitive and physical abilities. As you age, you realize you can't walk as fast as you used to. At times, you experience joint and muscle pains. Worse still, you might start to forget things, a disorder known as dementia. It's a great concern when your aging parents start to lose their memory more frequently.
Memory loss is not the only sign which can be a source of concern. Other signs of your aging parent needing help include leaving the house unkempt for long, having stale food in the fridge, becoming anxious and irritable, among other similar tell-tale signs. Read on to understand signs to look out for that show your aging parent needs help.
It Becomes Difficult For Your Parents To Perform Routine Tasks Like House Cleaning
It might increasingly become difficult for your parents to clean their house as they age. As a result, the house becomes cluttered and dirty. It's not uncommon to have dirty dishes pile up at the sink. As your parents age, their eyesight also deteriorates. The poor vision might lead them to miss some points in the house while cleaning.
As your parents age, their mobility is also compromised. They cannot move around as much as they used to due to joint and muscle pains. It's not uncommon to have the house littered because they cannot pick up fallen objects as easily as they used to. So they prefer to leave the objects where they have fallen. These fallen objects are a hazard as your parents may trip over them and sustain fall injuries.
The Eating Habits Of Your Aging Parents Change
You might be used to finding fresh food every time you visit home. But if you go to see your parents and find stale food in the fridge, know your parents are aging and might need help. As your parents age, it becomes more challenging for them to cook, thus the stale food. The fridge's food can also go stale because your parents forgot all about it or don't want to cook. They are surviving on home delivery food which can be unhealthy, especially for the elderly.
Your Aging Parents are Not Taking Their Medication as They Should
Another sign that your parents are aging and need help is by missing their medication. As your parents age, the body becomes weak. Therefore, it becomes critical for them to take medicine for various ailments. Your parents might skip the doses their doctors prescribed. Another sign which shows your aging parent needs help is when they overdose. When your parents miss their doses, they might not recover from the ailment. It's worse when they overdose as it can have catastrophic health consequences and even lead to fatalities.
Your Parent's Personal Hygiene Becomes Wanting
As your parents grow old, they might have a problem taking care of their hygiene. They can have a challenge bathing or brushing their teeth. They are either forgetful or are afraid they can slip and fall in the shower. The negligence to take care of their hygiene might lead to your parents exuding a foul odor. They may also wear the same clothes for three or more days.
Your Parents Experience Acute Memory Loss
It's natural and normal to forget once in a while. As you age, your memory begins to fail you, and you become more forgetful. Other times, memory loss is a result of a medication or other underlying conditions. Acute memory loss, on the other hand, is a sure indicator your aging parents need help. They might forget how to drive or go shopping. It's easy to spot acute memory loss since your parents might ask the same question over and again. They might start to lose direction in places they have lived in for long. Your parents might also have a challenge in following instructions. They might become confused about places, people, and time.
Your Aging Parent Lose Weight
When your parents start to lose weight, it might be a sign that something is amiss. Some factors which contribute to weight loss, especially in older people, include:
Your Aging Parent Experience Difficulty in Cooking
As your parents age, it becomes more challenging for them to cook. They might find it too physically exhausting to prepare food, fetching the necessary cooking appliances, or reading the instructions on how to cook some meals.
Your Parents Experience Loss of Smell or Taste
Taste and smell make the food alluring. It, therefore, encourages you to eat. If your parents lose their sense of smell and taste or are not as strong as they used to be, they might lose interest in eating. They might lose weight due to poor eating habits.
Teeth Problems Develop
If your parents' teeth are a bother, they might prefer not to eat. You should find out if they have any weak tooth or any of their teeth is aching.
Your Parents Start to Experience Financial and Social Challenges
Maybe your parents don't feed well because they are living on a limited budget. Also, they might have a challenge going shopping. If your parents don't buy enough groceries, they won't have enough to eat.
Other Underlying Conditions
Other Underlying conditions like dementia, depression, or other ailments can lead to weight loss.
Your Parents Start to Show Evident Signs Of Depression Or Loneliness
One evident sign of depression and loneliness is your parents showing little or no interest in the activities they used to enjoy. They refuse to leave the bed or miss outings with their family and friends. As your parents age, they might lack self-drive or motivation. It's possible your parents were strict timekeepers.
You may realize they are no longer as good at keeping time due to depression. When your parents are lonely, they might not want to return phone calls from family members or friends. They might be ignoring the calls because they don't want to interact and mingle with other people.
New Dents and Dings On Your Parents’ Car
As your parents age, their reaction time slows down considerably. They may not be as alert to make split-second decisions. They may side-wipe other vehicles or, worse still, run into other cars. They might also cause a head-on collision. It's quite challenging to inform your parents that they can no longer drive. But for their safety, it's advisable to ask them not to drive anymore. They can be a danger to themselves as well as to other road users.
Unpaid Bills And Bounced Checks
Knowing how your parents are coping financially is critical. It's an alarming sign when your parents forget to pay bills. You will realize a problem when you find a late payment notice, bounced checks, and receiving calls from call collection agencies. Also, your parents may be confused about the money they have. They might think they have more or less than they have. To find out the financial position of your parents, check their spending habits. Are they as confident in spending their cash as they were in time past?
You Start Noticing Cuts, Bruises, and Scrubs on Your Parents
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC), people aged 65 and older suffer cuts, bruises, and other health complications due to falls. As a person becomes older, the likelihood of falling increases. Cuts, scrubs, and bruises are a sure sign your aging parents need help.
When you notice cuts and bruises on your parents, ask them how they sustained the injury. If falling was the cause, put into place measures to prevent your parents from falling. You can call in professionals to make your parents' house fall-proof to avoid injuries and possible fatality caused by the fall.
Aggression and Irritability Increases In Your Parents
If you notice your parents becoming irritable or aggressive, it might be the side effect of dementia. As a caregiver, you can become burnt out if your parents are constantly irritable or aggressive. The aggressiveness can put you and other family members in harm's way. If the aggression or irritability becomes too much, you can consult a professional to help take care of your aging parents.
Change In Personality
You know your parents best. If there is a personality change, you will be able to point it out. Maybe your parents were bubbly and loved to chat. Over time, you realize they are no longer as talkative. A personality change might be a sign your aging parents need help.
A network of neurotransmitters controls a person's mood and personality. If the neutrameters suffer injury, the person's mood and personality can change. Since older people are more prone to falls, it is critical to observe your parents' changes.
It Becomes Difficult To Walk Up The Stairs
Another standard indicator of declining health in older folks is difficulty in mobility. You might realize your parents don't move around much. They stay in one position for longer or do not go up the stairs much. Difficulty in mobility can be a hazard as your parents are more susceptible to falls at this advanced age.
They Stop Making Sound Decisions
You might have known your parents to make the right decision every time, no matter the dilemma. If you notice your parents are no longer making the right decisions, it might be that signage is catching up. You may realize your parents walking in cold weather without heavy clothing or leaving the stove on the whole night to warm the house. Such risky behavior should be a sign that your aging parents need help.
You might also realize it becomes increasingly difficult for your parents to make up their minds. They don't know what to do in certain situations. If they go to a clothing store, they might take a long time time to make a purchasing decision.
Your Parents Grooming Is Not On Point as Before
It's possible that your parent's grooming deteriorates as you age. Maybe your mother is an immaculate dresser, but you have noticed her dressing and grooming are not as sharp as before. Your parents might start to wear clothes that don't match. They may have dirty and unkept hair or nails. These habits are a sign that you might need to take care of your aging parents.
Physical or mental deterioration can be the cause of the lack of proper grooming. Combing the hair or performing other grooming tasks can become a challenge as they might have grown too weak. Or they might have forgotten to groom themselves. Whichever the case, you should take the necessary action to help your parents.
Frequent Calls For Emergencies
When your parents make emergency calls to you frequently, it might be a red flag that they may need help. Emergency calls might be due to constant falls, regular visits to the emergency department, starting fires accidentally, or being arrested for criminal activities. Your parents might frequently call you for lesser concerns too. If this happens, It can be an indication your parents need more care.
Call a Professional Caregiver for the Elderly Near Me
The elderly have various health challenges. You might realize that your parents are not as neat as they used to be. Or the house is more cluttered than normal. You might find out they have a problem concentrating or they are suffering from acute memory loss. When you identify these signs, it's time to act. You should realize your aging parents need care and provide them with the best home care.
At Mom’s Home Care, your parents will receive the best care at the comfort of their home. We provide an in-house or an on-call caregiver who will help your parents in their day-to-day activities. Our caregivers also give your parents much-needed companionship. We will work with you and your parents on the best caregiving program. If your parents need professional caregiver services in Los Angeles, CA, do not hesitate to contact us at 323-244-4789.
