ATLANTA, Oct. 5, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- It's hard to believe parents could LIE to their children, friends or doctor, but if they don't want to burden or worry you, if they are prideful and strong willed or they have privacy concerns- they will. It's not because they are dishonest but rather they fear a loss of their independence if the truth about their declining health or cognitive state of mind is discovered.
If you are lucky enough to live near your parents, this is not an issue. How- ever if you are one of those who keep tabs via phone, email or Facebook, the good reports given on how they are doing might not be what you find when you come home for the holidays.
I think we all know when something seems "off" when we walk into familiar surroundings like our childhood home. Many will shrug it off and go about their plans when actually now is the time to investigate, become nosey, attentive and practical. Here are seven signs on how you can determine if your parents may need help.
If you suspect anything follow your gut and check the following:
- Check the mail. Is the mail being attended to, any cut-off notices, have bills been paid, have too many checks been written to the same charity, have items been purchased that are not needed, any new service providers?
- Check the laundry. Is there a smell of urine in the house, soiled cloths in the laundry room, clean linens on the bed, is their appearance consistent to how it has always been?
- Check the refrigerator & cabinets. Is the food fresh, are items in the cabinet out of date, is there a good balance of types of food for a healthy diet?
- Check the medicine cabinet and the date on the pill bottles and the pills in the bottle. Is there an approximate number of pills left in the bottle to coincide with the date on the label? Are they taking their medicine?
- Check the car. Do you see a lot of dents or scratches? Are the tags current? Does the side or back of the garage have any damage?
- Check the yard. How does the general appearance of the yard and the inside of the house look? Is it being cared for or is trash building up?
- Check your parents' conversations. Does one parent answer all questions for the other or hover over one constantly?
If you are seeing a combination of any of the above it is time to sit your parents down to let them know you have concerns and want to be there to help them when the time is right. Do not wait until a crises occurs because that may be too late.
If you live out of town, you may also want to make sure you have someone local to provide direct assistants or oversight. Home care agencies, a Certified Aging Life Care Manager or Certified Senior Advisor may be a good starting point since you need someone to be your eyes and ears in your parents' home should you suspect a decline in their cognitive health and well- being.
When it comes to caring for seniors, no one understands the importance of a loved one being able to recover in their own home better than Christopher Foster. The founder of A Hand To Hold, Foster searched for a qualified caregiver for his father who needed in-home assistance and discovered the options were not up to his standards; thus his company was born with the promise of providing a better quality of care for a better quality of life. http://ahandtohold.com
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Press Inquires: Lisa Rayner- 404-803-0611 or lisa@lrk-media.com
SOURCE A Hand To Hold
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