Senior man talking with his adult sons in garden
getty
November and December are the months when most people gather with family. You may have traditions that go back to your childhood, involving where you gather, what you cook, how you treat one another, etc. And, hopefully, you look forward to these family holiday get-togethers.
Holiday gatherings in 2021 may be especially meaningful to you because of the pandemic. A two-year hiatus on family events also means that some changes may have taken place in the oldest members of your tribe that will be more noticeable to you this year. These may be subtle changes or they may be quite noticeable, such that other family members are raising eyebrows or commenting on it.
Warning Signs
Changes in appearance and habits
Pay some attention to daily routines. Are they keeping up with hygiene (teeth brushing, bathing, grooming) or are their visual cues or smells that seem different than when you saw them last?
Have they lost weight? Weight loss can be indicative of a loss in their ability to cook or a diminished sense of smell or taste. Weight loss can also indicate other underlying health conditions.
Do they seem as attentive to household chores? Is there evidence of poor maintenance or cleaning?
Memory Loss
There is a big difference between normal forgetfulness (where did I leave the car keys? Why did I come into this room?) and the kind of memory loss that is indicative of dementia. Notice if your elder is asking the same questions over and over, failing to follow simple instructions, or confusing well-known peoples’ names and relationships. These can be signs of encroaching memory loss that is unlikely to improve.
Changes in spirit or mood
When a usually cheerful person becomes morose or negative in their demeanor, it can be an indicator that depression has set in. This is all-too-common in today’s pandemic-shocked world. Isolation may be the culprit as well.
Social Behavior Changes
Ask about their hobbies and the organizations they have belonged to in past years. Are they still getting together with friends? Attending religious services? Pursuing their hobbies?
Getting Around
Notice how your elders walk. Has their pace slowed? Do they seem tentative in their gait? When muscles get weak or joint pain sets in, this can affect movement. Do they seem unsteady in any way? These are indicators of a fall risk and falls are one of the most significant hazards for older adults. In the blink of an eye, a fall can end the independence your elders have enjoyed to date. Take this one seriously!
Your parents probably pride themselves on their independence and may not even be aware of the changes themselves, but it is critical to watch for these signs of their waning ability to fully care for themselves and keep themselves out of harm’s way.
How do you Intervene?
There is no doubt that conversations about changes you see in your elder’s way of life can feel like entering a minefield. These are often very difficult discussion to have. Here are some tips for raising the issues and broaching the important topics:
Find the right time and place. You may want to tell your parent(s) that you want to have a conversation and set aside a time to convene. Make sure you have a quiet space, where you will not be interrupted. It’s okay to ask one or two other family members or friends to join you, but don’t invite so many people that the elders will feel like you are ganging up on them. Avoid any period of time when there has been abundant drinking–by you or them.
Share your concerns. Reassure them that you are worried about their wellbeing. Try to convey that you are not looking to control their lives. If they doubt your ability to make a fair assessment about their health, gently suggest that they check out your concerns with their doctors.
Solutions to Consider
If your concern is structural and cosmetic safety issues around their home, you may be able to remedy some of it yourself. Things like removing area rugs, installing nightlights, and getting rid of clutter may be within your capabilities and their willingness to let you help. Then make a plan to address the more substantial hazards by hiring a handyman or carpenter to install grab bars, outdoor railings, higher toilets, and lower cabinetry.
Hiring additional help (housekeeping, running errands, yard care, limited meal preparation) may be an acceptable interim solution to concerns about minor memory loss and balance issues. However, if the problem seems more than “minor” in gravity, consider some of the solutions below.
Assistance with some of the activities of daily living (bathing, dressing, grooming, and personal hygiene) can be arranged at your elder’s home at whatever frequency is warranted. Getting their agreement to this is critical, of course, and it’s important to understand that this will likely be seen as a much more invasive intervention that will appear to compromise their privacy as well as their need to continue to be in charge of their lives. It’s a difficult step for many people.
Ultimately, your assessment of the situation may be that they need to move to a safer environment, one that includes the assistance they need to manage their lives. For some elders, a transition to a retirement community can seem more appealing than having someone come into their home every day. Others may feel just the opposite.
If you are in a quandary about what resources are available and where to find them, your local Area Agency on Aging can be helpful. Every county in the U.S. has resources for aging, thanks to the Older Americans Act. Their Elder Care Locator can be a terrific resource. Another way to find these resources in through your (or your loved one’s) county’s website.
levofloxacin canada buy levaquin 500mg pill
avodart 0.5mg usa order generic tamsulosin 0.2mg zofran 4mg price
aldactone 100mg us valtrex 1000mg for sale diflucan 100mg us
ampicillin 500mg tablet order cephalexin 500mg sale buy erythromycin
fildena 50mg sale buy robaxin order robaxin without prescription
buy suhagra 100mg pill sildenafil overnight delivery estradiol tablet
lamotrigine over the counter order tretinoin cream sale order tretinoin cream
order tadalafil 20mg without prescription tadacip 10mg drug order voltaren 50mg online
isotretinoin us cost amoxil 500mg generic azithromycin
order indomethacin 75mg generic order lamisil 250mg online order generic trimox
cheap cialis online men with ed buy generic sildenafil 100mg
order anastrozole online cheap biaxin 250mg order viagra 50mg
cialis en france acheter 100mg sildenafil viagra 200mg sans ordonnance
order generic prednisone 5mg where to buy generic cialis online cheap sildenafil generic
accutane 20mg pill buy isotretinoin 20mg for sale ivermectin 3mg pills for humans
altace 5mg cheap order astelin astelin 10ml without prescription
buy clonidine for sale antivert pill order spiriva 9 mcg without prescription
buy buspar 10mg generic ditropan 5mg uk buy ditropan sale
buy hytrin 5mg pills order sulfasalazine 500mg pill azulfidine 500 mg pills
cheap alendronate 35mg buy pepcid without prescription order pepcid 20mg sale
buy prograf 1mg buy prograf 5mg urso 300mg price
isosorbide order order lanoxin 250 mg pills buy micardis without prescription
buy zyban 150 mg without prescription buy quetiapine 50mg online seroquel for sale online
molnupiravir 200 mg uk buy molnunat 200 mg without prescription order prevacid 30mg sale
sertraline 50mg sale buy lexapro without prescription sildenafil sale
imuran 100mcg oral viagra tablets buy viagra 50mg for sale
tadalafil 40mg oral cialis coupons buy viagra without prescription
tadalafil 10mg oral order cialis 10mg without prescription buy symmetrel 100 mg sale
cheap revia 50 mg naltrexone pill purchase aripiprazole for sale
buy medroxyprogesterone 10mg generic buy praziquantel 600mg pills buy periactin 4mg generic
modafinil brand stromectol buy online topical ivermectin cost
buy luvox 50mg nizoral price order glucotrol 10mg pills
order accutane 20mg for sale prednisone canada deltasone 20mg canada
purchase nootropil without prescription purchase sildenafil generic sildenafil generic
azithromycin 500mg pills order prednisolone 5mg pills gabapentin 600mg for sale
tadalafil 5mg sildenafil 50mg for sale viagra 25mg price
order lasix generic furosemide over the counter plaquenil 400mg over the counter
aralen us purchase cenforce for sale baricitinib pill
sporanox 100mg cheap brand progesterone 100mg buy generic tindamax 300mg
brand glycomet 1000mg buy atorvastatin 10mg online purchase tadalafil
zyprexa 10mg ca olanzapine pills buy valsartan 160mg pill
cost amlodipine 10mg order generic norvasc 5mg cialis australia
clozapine online clozaril 50mg cost decadron ca
cost viagra 100mg lisinopril pills lisinopril 10mg over the counter
prilosec uk omeprazole without prescription blackjack game
brand zyvox best online gambling real online gambling
cost metoprolol 100mg purchase metoprolol for sale order vardenafil 10mg pill
help me with my essay online gambling real money recommended you read
purchase levitra cheap vardenafil 10mg methylprednisolone 8mg pills
clomiphene 50mg drug clomiphene us blackjack online game
buy aristocort 10mg sale buy triamcinolone 10mg for sale buy generic clarinex 5mg
brand priligy 90mg order levothyroxine without prescription cheap synthroid generic
tadalafil 20mg over the counter viagra 50mg cost cheap viagra pill
xenical 120mg brand diltiazem cheap acyclovir 400mg pill
order cialis 40mg without prescription tadalafil without prescription clopidogrel 150mg cost
order generic allopurinol 100mg cost rosuvastatin 10mg purchase ezetimibe online
buy methotrexate 2.5mg pill order warfarin 2mg for sale buy reglan 20mg online
brand motilium sumycin 250mg tablet buy flexeril 15mg generic
buy losartan 25mg sale topamax 200mg pill order topamax 100mg pill
baclofen 10mg sale buy generic baclofen 25mg toradol 10mg us
buy imitrex 25mg generic buy generic dutasteride avodart generic
colchicine online buy slot machine online blackjack game
buy zantac 150mg for sale meloxicam 7.5mg cheap celecoxib 100mg ca
bonus casino online casinos real money casino online usa
tamsulosin online order order generic flomax spironolactone online
levitra vs cialis cipro 500mg pills order ciprofloxacin 500mg generic
brand metronidazole 200mg bactrim online buy generic bactrim
cost diflucan buy diflucan 100mg for sale buy viagra 100mg generic
cephalexin sale order cephalexin 250mg pills order erythromycin
tadalafil 10mg sale order tadalafil sale sildenafil 50mg cheap
order ceftin for sale buy cefuroxime methocarbamol cost
online gambling casinos online casinos real money cialis savings card
buy trazodone 50mg sildenafil 50mg for sale generic aurogra 100mg
online assignment help buy generic stromectol 12mg stromectol tab price
sildalis canada estradiol pill order lamotrigine 50mg online cheap
deltasone 5mg brand order accutane 20mg generic purchase amoxicillin sale
buy sildenafil 50mg sildenafil 20 mg overnight delivery cialis
blackjack online free purchase tadalafil pill tadalafil 5mg brand
generic azithromycin 250mg order generic gabapentin 800mg cost gabapentin 100mg
online casino games real money brand stromectol 6mg buy modafinil 200mg
buy deltasone 40mg without prescription minipress 2mg without prescription cost mebendazole 100mg
sildenafil 100mg pills order nolvadex 20mg generic rhinocort
tretinoin gel cheap avana over the counter buy avanafil 200mg
tadalafil online buy oral diclofenac 50mg purchase indomethacin pill
biaxin 250mg generic order clonidine 0.1mg sale meclizine without prescription
order tiotropium bromide without prescription buy spiriva 9 mcg pill terazosin oral
pioglitazone pill female viagra sildenafil generic viagra
cialis over the counter Free trial of cialis quick hits free online slots
no deposit bonus codes free online slot machines real money casino games
best online blackjack real money best casino games roulette online real money
blackjack free write essays for me assignment sites
professional letter writing services brand arava generic sulfasalazine
cheap doxycycline buy ventolin inhalator generic order cleocin 150mg generic
acetazolamide ca diamox drug imuran 25mg oral
lanoxin 250mg pill micardis for sale online buy molnupiravir generic
amoxicillin without prescription order stromectol 6mg generic how much does ivermectin cost
order carvedilol 6.25mg online elavil 10mg pill oral amitriptyline
buy generic fosamax 70mg ibuprofen 400mg over the counter buy ibuprofen 600mg pills
cheap indomethacin 50mg cenforce 100mg pill cenforce for sale online
pamelor order online purchase panadol without prescription buy paxil
buy doxycycline online cheap order doxycycline 200mg for sale medrol 4 mg over counter
tadalafil price order tadacip online cheap amoxicillin 500mg over the counter
cheap requip 1mg requip 2mg ca labetalol online order
esomeprazole online buy buy esomeprazole 20mg generic order furosemide for sale
purchase fenofibrate online cheap oral sildenafil viagra 50mg price
minocycline 100mg pill gabapentin for sale hytrin 5mg sale
buy tadalafil 40mg without prescription viagra 50mg canada viagra 150mg
buy metformin 1000mg sale nolvadex uk nolvadex cheap
cialis 5mg oral gnc ed pills non prescription erection pills
oral serophene cheap lipitor 10mg cheap prednisolone 10mg
buy provigil 200mg online order stromectol generic buy promethazine 25mg pills
oral prednisone 10mg order isotretinoin 40mg pills buy amoxicillin 250mg
isotretinoin price ampicillin without prescription buy ampicillin 250mg pill
where can i buy ed pills buy sildenafil 50mg generic buy finasteride 5mg online cheap
ivermectin cream cost causes of erectile dysfunction order deltasone
over the counter viagra substitute walgreens viagra gel buy viagra online usa
viagra price natural viagra for men viagra logo
zofran oral cost ondansetron 8mg trimethoprim usa
cost isotretinoin 10mg order amoxicillin online order azithromycin without prescription