7 signs & symptoms your senior may need assistance
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7 Signs & Symptom's That Your Loved One May Need More Assistance !
Asking the Question?……...……………….….1!!Dealing with the Question……………….….…3! !Sign 1: Neglected Home...…..………………...6! !Sign 2: Poor Eating Habits…..……………......8 ! !Sign 3: Neglected Hygiene…………………..10!!Sign 4: Depression.…………………………..12!!Sign 5: Forgetfulness…....…..……………….14! !Sign 6: Unopened Mail & Mishandled Finances………………..………..…………….16 ! !Sign 7: Missed Medication & Doctor’s Visits ………………………………..………….……..18!!Getting the Answers.…...…..………………...20!!
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
CHAPTER 1!Asking The Question…!
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Most families eventually have to deal with the complicated and overwhelming ques8on: How do I know when an aging rela8ve needs more assistance than our family can provide? One thing is certain -‐ your parents will not be the ones to tell you they need help!
Our Goal: !To discuss the signs and symptom's of seniors at risk of declining health and who are no longer safe to live alone.
All too oFen families make arrangements for senior care only aFer their loved one has suffered a serious incident such as a debilita8ng fall or health problems as a result of incorrect use of medica8ons. So the ques8on becomes, what are the tell-‐tale signs that a senior is now in need of assistance so that a family can start care arrangements and prevent their loved one from undue suffering. Many aging seniors eventually need some degree of help with daily tasks. These tasks include bathing, cooking, ea8ng, changing clothes and geJng safely into and out of the bathtub, driving to a doctor’s appointment or just running daily errands. OFen, as the aging process unfolds, your senior may exhibit even more needs, such as early signs of mild cogni8ve impairment, inability to consistently take medica8ons correctly or even financial vulnerability to scam ar8sts who target seniors. So, what are some of the common indicators that your parents may need assistance or care?
CHAPTER 1!Asking the Question….!
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CHAPTER 2!Dealing With the Question…
“Someone turning age 65 today has a 70% chance of needing some type of long term care and services and support in their remaining years”
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
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CHAPTER 2!Dealing With The Question…
What are some of the tasks they may need assistance with: 1. House Cleaning 2. Cooking Meals 3. Changing clothes and geJng
safely into and out of the bathtub 4. Bathing 5. Companionship 6. Driving to a doctor’s appointment 7. Running daily errands.
So, what are some of the common indicators that your parents may need assistance or care? Here are some of the tell tale signs: 1. Neglected Home 2. Poor Ea8ng Habits 3. Neglected Hygiene 4. Depression 5. Forge`ulness 6. Unopened Mail and Mishandled Finances 7. Missed Medica8on or Doctor’s Visits
CHAPTER 2!Dealing With The Question…!
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It Can Be Painful Many aging seniors need some degree of help with daily tasks. It’s oFen difficult and truly heart wrenching to face the fact that Mom or Dad just can’t stay home alone any longer. To see that person, your mom or dad who was your “rock” and your guiding light through the most challenging 8mes of your life e.g. your first day of school, acne, and your wedding day now needing you in a way that no one can prepare for is just painful. Not only do you have the stress of the day to day with your own family and work, but now you need to convince mom or dad to make a change and begin to oversee their care. So the ques8on becomes, what are the important signs that your loved one is star8ng to need assistance, and what kind of help do they really need? To follow we will examine in greater depth the common signs seniors oFen struggle with throughout the aging process.
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CHAPTER 3!Sign 1: Neglected Home…
Clu>ered and unkempt living areas is an easy warning sign to spot. It’s also dangerous as it increases the
risk of a fall
CHAPTER 3!Sign 1: Neglected Home…!
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A neglected home is generally an easy warning sign to spot and may mean the older adult is now physically unable to pick up around the house or their cogni8ve skills have declined and they are now less aware of their surroundings. Clueered living areas mean more things to trip on and can lead to serious fall injuries. Unclean kitchens and bathrooms result in unsanitary condi8ons, spreading bacteria throughout the house.
Other physical clues around your parents’ home may be a red flag as well, such as the smell of urine – indica8ng possible bouts of incon8nence, or scorched pots and pans, indica8ng forge`ulness while cooking.
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CHAPTER 4!Sign 2: Poor Eating Habits…
“It's one of the quirks of human survival. Food shared just seems to taste be>er than food eaten alone.
That may be one reason many elderly people who live alone are at
risk for malnutriJon.”
American College of Nutri8on in Washington, D.C.
CHAPTER 4!Poor Eating Habits…!
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A decrease in appe8te is not unusual for the elderly as their metabolic rate naturally slows down which makes this a par8cularly difficult warning sign to spot. A decline in appe8te becomes a red flag when it results in excessive weight loss, lack of energy or dehydra8on. One of the warning signs of demen8a is that the senior will fill their diet with mostly sugary snacks.
Poor ea8ng habits results in increased falls, disorienta8on, urinary tract infec8ons and generally being more prone to illness. Monitoring the weight, cooking and ea8ng habits of the elderly is cri8cal to spoJng when its 8me to start with caregiving. There are many factors to consider when evalua8ng the ea8ng habits of seniors -‐ such as depression, isola8on, oral hygiene and use of dentures, medica8on side effects and other underlying medical condi8ons. Iden8fying the cause of “poor ea8ng habits” is cri8cal in addressing this concern
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CHAPTER 5!Sign 4: Neglected Hygiene …
Infrequent or inadequate bathing or unclean clothes may be a sign of declining
mobility, forgeLulness or even the beginning stages of demenJa.
CHAPTER 5!Neglected Hygiene …!
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Like poor ea8ng habits, neglected hygiene can show up in a number of ways with a mul8tude of causes. Body odor, neglected fingernails and/or teeth are easily no8ceable warning signs showing that your senior needs aeen8on. This could be due to your aging parent not being able to safely get into the shower or bath. Do a physical assessment of the bathroom; consider placing grab bars, or geJng a raised toilet seat.
Also, check to see if the laundry is geJng done. OFen, you may see aging parents wearing the same clothes for several days in a row. This could be an indicator of forge`ulness or simply a sign that it is too difficult for the older adult to load and unload clothes from the washing machine and dryer. Forge`ulness is one of the many early signs of demen8a, and poor hygiene could also be an indica8on that depression from isola8on could be a concern.
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CHAPTER 6!Sign 4: Depression…
“Depression affects more than 6.5 million of the 35 million Americans aged 65 years or older. Depression in older persons is closely associated with dependency and disability and causes great suffering for
the individual and the family.”
Na8onal Alliance on Mental Health
CHAPTER 6!Depression…!
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If your parent is depressed, you may observe unusual behavior, or a general change in their normal demeanor. Symptoms include: lack of drive or mo8va8on, failure to return phone calls, or they just don’t “seem like themselves”.
Changes in ordinary rou8nes such as gardening or mee8ng with the “bridge club” or just a general social withdrawal are also signs of depression and an indicator that assistance may be needed. Many families think depression is a natural reac8on to chronic illness, loss and social transi8on and a normal part of aging. It’s impossible to ignore that the elderly face remarkable challenges compared to any other stage in life. OFen living in isola8on aFer losing a spouse or out living their friends, siblings and some8mes their own children. It is important to get help, depression decreases the quality of life, and many 8mes can be successfully treated.
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CHAPTER 7!Sign 5: Forgetfulness…
“ForgeLulness can be a normal part of aging. As people get older, changes occur in all parts of the
body, including the brain.”
Na8onal Ins8tute on Aging
CHAPTER 7!Forgetfulness…!
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You may no8ce one or more of the following warning signs indica8ng cogni8ve impairment; forge`ulness can oFen be the early sign of developing demen8a or Alzheimer’s or some other type of memory impairment.
• Consistent memory lapses • Confusion • Repe88ve speech • Loss of ini8a8ve • Difficulty performing familiar tasks • Frequently misplacing things • GeJng lost walking or driving • Unable to complete a sentence • Rapid mood swings or changes in behavior • Changes in personality • Cannot recall names of familiar people or objects
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CHAPTER 8!Sign 6: Unopened Mail and !Mishandled Finances…
A more difficult sign to spot and a potenJally serious issue for your
senior is neglected financial ma>ers.
CHAPTER 8!Unopened Mail and Mishandled Finances…!
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Look for unopened mail, unpaid bills, payments made to fraud schemes, bounced checks, or inability to balance a checkbook. In the early stages of demen8a a senior will start to feel easily overwhelmed by the contents of their mail and will even lose the ability to do simple arithme8c.
As their ability for logical thinking declines they become much less capable of assessing risk and become vulnerable to financial scams. OFen an early sign of this is excessive par8cipa8on in “sweepstakes” types of mail campaigns.
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CHAPTER 9!Sign 7: Missed Medications or Doctor Visits…
Drug misuse (and abuse) in the elderly can cause cogniJve and
physical impairment— puVng this populaJon at greater risk for falls,
motor vehicle accidents, making them generally less able to care for their daily needs
CHAPTER 9!Missed Medications or Doctor Visits…!
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A more sure way is to monitor the quan8ty of medica8ons on hand to determine if too few (or too many) pills are being consumed. Have a periodic mee8ng with the doctors involved to see if appointments are being kept and to review the medica8ons your loved one is taking. This is also helpful to determine what are the sign and symptoms that a par8cular medica8on is not being properly taken.
Many of the symptoms of misuse (and abuse) mirror common signs of aging in general. These symptoms may obscure diagnosing a substance misuse problem. Some of these percep8ons include: • Memory loss • Disorienta8on • Lack of balance • Shaky hands • Mood swings • Depression • Chronic boredom
If your senior is exhibi8ng any of the signs or symptoms men8oned in this booklet, call us to schedule a free
assessment of their needs.
We can show you what your care op8ons are and help you find ways to make it
affordable. 1 800 720 4608
GETTING THE ANSWERS
Request A Free ConsultaJon