Signs That Your Parent May Need Help

You’re visiting your aging parents when you notice something strange: Some long overdue unpaid bills on the kitchen counter lying next to a tea towel with a hole burned through it.

You feel some concern and wonder what’s up. Are you overreacting to a scenario that could easily be explained away by a normal moment of forgetfulness and an accident that could have happened to anyone? Or is there something more going on here?

You wonder if you should broach the topic with your parents or if that will just stir up anxiety—or even defensiveness and anger—for no reason. After all, they’re still staying on top of their schedule, taking care of the house and yard, and driving safely. Aren’t they?

Though every adult child understands that their aging parents will inevitably begin to decline and require additional support, it’s often difficult to recognize when and how to intervene. After all, you’ve always trusted your parents’ judgment, and it isn’t easy to know if your current doubts are warranted, even when you’re seeing warning signs.

Use the guide below to help you determine if your parents may be in need of support. If they’re exhibiting behaviours from the list below, it’s almost certainly time to take action, and Right At Home Winnipeg can help.

Household Responsibilities Neglected

A few dirty dishes here or there is nothing to freak out about. But if you’re noticing that your parents’ home or yard is uncharacteristically unkempt, there may be an underlying concern.

Watch for an increase in clutter, a decrease in cleanliness, and any strange odours in the home—which could result from anything from rotting food to incontinence. Does cookware show evidence of burn marks, or is the food supply low in the fridge?

Consider yard maintenance. Are routine tasks like snow removal and lawn mowing being neglected? Is mail piling up in the mailbox or being left unopened? These are often warning signs that your parents are feeling overwhelmed by standard daily routines.

Also important to keep an eye on are prescriptions and medical appointments. It may seem overly personal, but it’s critical to ensure they’re staying on top of their own healthcare.

Changes in Appearance and Hygiene

If your parents have suddenly gained or lost weight, pay attention. Changes in diet are often one of the first signs that nutrition skills are slipping.

It’s also crucial to watch for any evidence that your parents are neglecting their hygiene. Wearing dirty/soiled clothing, forgetting to bathe or trim nails, leaving hair or teeth unbrushed, and dressing inappropriately for the season are all indicators that all is not well.

In addition, don’t ignore any unexplained scrapes or bruises on your parents’ bodies. These could be telltale signs that they have sustained an unreported fall or injured themselves without realizing or remembering.

Loss of Memory, Shifts in Cognition and Judgment

Everyone has forgetful moments and days where they feel a little blue, but if this is becoming the norm for your parents, it’s time to take note. Watch for any increase in confusion, loss of reasoning skills, repetitive speech patterns, or the inability to complete sentences.

In more severe cases of memory loss, individuals may be unable to recall people and places that were once familiar to them. But consistent smaller lapses can also indicate an underlying issue.

If your parents experience a sudden loss of interest in activities that previously gave them joy, or you find them uncharacteristically apathetic, withdrawn, or sleepy, it’s time to investigate further. While not every tired day is a red flag, these types of symptoms should not be taken lightly.

Inability To Complete Daily Tasks

It probably goes without saying, but if you notice that your parents cannot complete daily tasks such as eating, grooming, toileting, dressing, walking, or transferring (moving from bed to a chair, for instance), it’s time to take immediate action.

Often, seniors will try to hide evidence of incompetence because they are embarrassed, forgetful, or don’t want to lose their independence. This is where the responsibility for initiating a conversation with them falls to you.

Winnipeg Home Care

Broaching the subject of aging with your parents is never easy. But Right At Home Winnipeg can help. By providing individualized support to our clients, we tailor the home care experience to their exact needs.

This means that you and your parents can rest assured that they will receive the specialized support they require while still maintaining their independence at the level to which they are capable. The comfort and dignity of continuing to live at home is a key factor for many seniors in being willing to accept the support they need.

If you’re seeking private home care in Winnipeg, give us a call at Right At Home today.

Why Right at Home?

• Over 20 years of experience. Right at Home has been providing award winning customized senior care and home care for over 20 years.
• YOUR Caregivers are all part of YOUR Care Team. This means that there is no revolving door of Personal Support Workers and Nurses. With the help of your Care Planner, you choose and get to know them. This leads to an level of care for your loved one that is unsurpassed in our industry.
• Working with government support. Your Care Planner will work to help you find the government supports you are eligible for (if you would like them) and then work to find a solution for the care needs that go above what government and family can do. We will also work around the government care plan so that we are enhancing it.

We help in home, wherever home is to you.

Our Caregivers are always out in the community visiting homes, Retirement Residences, Long Term Care (LTC), hospices and hospitals.