Signs Your Elderly Parent Needs Help

Determining when your senior loved ones, especially your parents, can no longer live independently is a huge decision.

This article will provide some important signs your elderly parent needs help that you can watch for to assist you in making these tough decisions. 

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How to Know When Your Elderly Parents Need Help

Because we all know and appreciate that our loved ones want to stay in their homes and live independently as long as possible, it can be tough to know when your aging parent needs help. These signs can help guide your decisions and let you know when it may be time to step in. 

1. They were recently diagnosed with a serious illness. Elderly adults recently diagnosed with a serious illness may need specialized or skilled care. This could include care from a nurse or a physical or occupational therapist. Without that care, they could frequently end up at the doctor’s office or in the hospital. Some illnesses that could require home care or assisted living include: heart failure, stroke, Alzheimer’s, Diabetes, COPD and cancer. Some elderly adults also benefit from home care for a short period while recovering from surgery, so they can return home quickly and not have to stay in the hospital or rehabilitation. 
2. They always seem to be at the doctor’s office or need to go to the hospital. If your parent frequently needs help from their doctor, they likely need help at home as well. Additionally, frequent hospitalizations can actually make your parent weaker and cause their health to decline more quickly. The prolonged best rest in a hospital impacts mobility, the stressful environment can cause confusion and impact cognitive decline, and their risk of contracting an infection or other illness goes up. 
3. They are trying to manage multiple health conditions. It can feel like our parents are collecting doctors as they age – one for their heart, one for their brain, one for their eyes, the list can go on and on. Multiple doctors can mean multiple conditions to manage, which can be challenging for anyone at any age. Multiple illnesses can also mean a variety of medications at various times of the day, which is a lot to manage. 
4. They forget to take their medication or take the wrong dose. How many times have you wondered if you remembered to take your own medication? Routines like taking your pills in the morning are easy to remember because they are habits, but by the same token they can be difficult to remember. For example, you may catch yourself wondering, “Did I take that medicine today, or was that yesterday?” If you notice your parent’s medications seem disorganized, all over the house, aren’t being refilled, or the wrong amount of medication is left in the bottle, it is a sign your parent needs home care.
5. Hygiene routines and household chores aren’t happening consistently. If your elderly parent starts having some cognitive decline or struggling in the home, you will likely start to notice things like body odor, bad breath, or piles of clothing laying around. You might also find spoiled food in the refrigerator, or stains on furniture that could indicate an incontinence issue. 
6. Your parents no longer leave the house and do not seem interested in activities they used to enjoy. There could be a few reasons that your parent or parents are staying in – perhaps they are afraid of falling, or maybe they are worried they can’t keep up with conversations and will be embarrassed. Whatever the reason for the forced isolation, it is certainly a sign something is amiss. Isolation and loneliness can lead to depression, and increase the risk for dementia, high blood pressure and other health conditions. 
7. You have noticed significant weight gain or loss. While weight changes can be a sign of an underlying health condition, it could also be a sign that your parent needs help. They may be forgetting to eat meals, having difficulty cooking, or they might not be grocery shopping. Keep an eye on the pantry and the refrigerator for signs that your elderly parent needs help. 

While these are not the only indicators that your loved ones need assistance, they are a good starting point. It is also important to remember that there are many different options for assistance, including many that allow your parents to stay in their homes for as long as possible. Having open and honest communication with your parents and letting them know needing help doesn’t immediately mean moving out of their homes will be beneficial, regardless of the outcome. 

To learn about our home care services, contact our caregiving team today at 1-800-GRISWOLD or find a Caregiver near you.