Assessing the Well-Being of Seniors During the Holidays and Providing Support to Make Life Easier
Author: Debbie Humphrey
Senior Care in Clearwater, FL and Surrounding Areas
While one of the caregivers I employ at Home Helpers was traveling in Georgia, she saw a television commercial that touched her heart so much that she told me about it.
Kroger, a large grocery chain, used an animation of a young boy who noticed an elderly neighbor was alone at Thanksgiving. He snuck some fresh-baked cookies off of a cooling rack in the kitchen of his home, and he left a plate of them on the neighbor’s porch.
When the boy returned home, his parents were waiting in the foyer. The boy told his parents about the lonely neighbor, and the parents grabbed their prepared meal and went to share it with the senior lady.
The commercial was very heartwarming, and it happened to coincide perfectly with the subject of this week’s blog: noticing senior needs.
This topic is important to review each year because it is helpful to understand some guidelines for assessing the well-being of seniors during the holidays and providing necessary support to make life easier.
One of my resources, aPlaceforMom, has compiled a comprehensive list of scenarios that could indicate that your senior loved one may need some level of support:
- Are they paying their bills? If checks are bouncing and collectors are calling, there is a serious reason for concern.
- Is their home and yard well-maintained? It’s important to check appliances, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and light bulbs when visiting a senior loved one’s home to ensure things are functioning properly. In addition, a cluttered, dirty, or disorganized house and an unattended yard could mean they need some help.
- Are they experiencing mood swings? Changes in mood or extreme mood swingsmay signal something is wrong. Noticeable mood swings could be a result of personal problems, physical challenges, medications, or something else. A visit to their doctor is probably warranted.
- Are they having mental health issues? Has there been a noticeable change in your senior loved one’s demeanor? Do they smile or laugh like they used to? If a senior is demonstrating feelings of depression or lacks energy for activities of daily living, have a conversation with them to determine if they need to consider professional help.
- Do they seem uncertain or confused? If you notice your senior loved one is experiencing confusion or uncertainty when performing specific tasks that used to be second nature to them, this can be a red flag that they need help.
- Are they maintaining their appearance and personal hygiene? Pay attention to how your senior loved one is dressing and their overall personal hygiene. If their clothing is dirty, shows extensive wear, or is in disrepair; or they have bad breath and body odor, they may need some level of assistance.
- Are they losing weight without explanation? When you gather with senior loved ones, take notice of weight loss and their appetite. Are they consuming less at mealtimes? Observe their overall eating habits in case they are neglecting nutritional foods for sweets, processed foods, fast foods, or snacks.
- Are they becoming more forgetful? If you notice your senior loved one is more forgetful than normal, or they are misplacing their keys, wallet, or other important items more frequently, it may be time for a medical evaluation.
- Are they taking their medications as they should? Improper medication management can lead to all kinds of problems.Are there full prescription bottles in the medicine cabinet? A daily pill organizer for morning and evening medications can help prevent medication mismanagement, so your senior loved one does not take too much or too little of their medications.
- Are they socially isolated? If your senior loved one is staying more isolated or has lost interest in activities and hobbies they once enjoyed, there may be physical or mental health issues to address.
- Are they demonstrating physical limitations? If you notice your senior loved one is experiencing challenges when standing from a seated position, or struggling to walk, sit, or lie down, they may need ambulation devices for better stabilization and support. Additionally, if you notice injuries like bruising, cuts, or scratches, it’s worth investigating the cause.
- Have they been involved in auto accidents, minor or major? Take a peek at your senior loved one’s vehicle. If you see dents and car damage that have gone unexplained, it is best to discuss their accident history and determine why auto accidents are happening. If they are experiencing visual impairment, diminished hearing, or are more distracted and simply not paying attention, the time may have arrived to discuss their retirement from driving.
Care.com offers the following suggestions about ways to make life easier for your senior loved one:
- Assess changes and follow up after the holidays. If you note dramatic changes in your senior loved one, like they have developed a short temper or are unsafely wandering outside of their home, do not hesitate to schedule a medical evaluation. However, if the senior is forgetting things and seems confused, take into consideration that the holidays can be stressful, and an abbreviated holiday visit may not tell the whole story. Be sure to keep in touch with them and see how they are doing when the stress of the holidays has dissipated.
- Make their home safer with modifications. If your senior loved one shows signs of cognitive decline or contends with physical challenges, subtle home modifications can make a big difference. Care.com suggests, “Get rid of clutter, move cords out of the way, remove rugs, put railings in the bath and on stairs, (and) put in clocks with large type that also tell the day of the week.”
- Communicate your concerns with siblings, family members, neighbors and friends. Have a discussion with your siblings and family members to get their opinions about your senior loved one’s status. If there is a consensus about their physical or mental decline, determine who can do specific things to help. In addition, take a little time to introduce yourself to friends and neighbors and give them your phone number and email address should they become concerned.
- Have a conversation with your senior loved one after the holidays. Having a conversation about your observations doesn’t have to be difficult. “Come from a place of collaboration, not confrontation,” says Care.com. Ask them how they feel about staying at home with all the responsibilities or moving somewhere that will eliminate some of those responsibilities, like cooking and cleaning. If they shut down and don’t want to talk, you have at least planted the seed for a future discussion. It’s all about preserving your senior loved one’s independence, safety and well-being.
- Verify that they are keeping up with necessary doctor appointments. “If you’re concerned about either physical or cognitive changes, bring your (senior loved one) for a checkup with their general practitioner,” and discuss any concerns you have about which they may be unaware. Certain symptoms may require a specialist, like a neurologist or psychiatrist.
- Find resources in your senior loved one’s community. “There are many services that can help (seniors) with challenges as they age, such as adult day programs and in-home care. Contact (the) local area agency on aging at USAging.org for more information. Understanding the available care options will be extremely helpful in conversations you have with your (senior loved one).”
- Consider hiring help if needed. It may become necessary to hire a caregiver – or team of caregivers – to provide companionship and assistance with activities of daily living, like personal care, homemaker’s services, planning and preparing nutritious meals, and transportation to doctor appointments and other errands, so your senior loved one can stay safe and independent in their own home for as long as possible. “It’s important for them to have social interaction, physical exercise, and sensory input. The more you can keep them a part of your family and a part of the world, the better.
A perfectly matched Home Helpers caregiver can assist with all of the needs listed above and more to keep your senior loved one happy, healthy, safe, and independent. If home care services would benefit you or a senior you love, I gladly offer a FREE Consultation to identify and discuss specific needs and create a personalized care plan to help make life easier.
We, at Home Helpers® Clearwater, are honored to have been ranked among the Home Care Pulse Top 100 Leaders in Experience for home care providers and to have received these awards in 2024: Best of Home Care® Provider of Choice, the Best of Home Care® Employer of Choice, the Best of Home Care® Leader in Experience, as well as being named a Caring.com 2023 Caring Super Star.
We proudly serve male and female seniors in Clearwater, Clearwater Beach, Dunedin, Holiday, Hudson, Largo, New Port Richey, Oldsmar, Palm Harbor, Port Richey, Safety Harbor, Saint Petersburg, Seminole, Tarpon Springs, Trinity, and surrounding areas. Home Helpers®…we are Making Life Easier® 727.942.2539
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