by Connie De La Rosa
Does it seem that your loved one’s home is not quite as organized as it used to be? Does it seem like the home needs more maintenance than usual? Offering to help with whatever needs to be done around the house will give you a pretty good idea of things that are not getting done from minor to major repairs. Many times, it may be a simple item dropping to the floor such as a hair brush and the aging person may not be able to bend and pick it up due to pain or being at risk of falling.
Appearance of parents – Does it seem like your parents have lost weight or appear to look frail? Are they showering, grooming or changing clothes regularly if not, what are the reasons? Depression? Inability to lift arms due to pain?
Hearing – If your parents are giving you answers to your questions that don’t make sense, were they able to hear you? Can they hear doorbell, phone or if driving, cars honking and ambulances?
Paying bills – Are your parents paying bills on time? Are there unopened envelopes that require payment or other important information?
If you are a family caregiver, and need resources or information on programs that may be able to assist in these area, please call 420-0608.
