5 Warning Signs To Look For When Visiting Seniors This Holiday Season
The holiday season is here, which means time for shopping, eating, and gathering with family and friends. If your holiday traditions include spending time with older loved ones, being aware of changes to their physical, mental, and emotional health is important to their quality of life, safety, and well-being.
If the holidays are one of the few times a year you get to spend with aging parents and loved ones in person, you aren’t alone. According to the Family Caregiver Coalition, around 15% of caregivers are considered long-distance caregivers.
Therefore paying close attention to their overall health and living situation and recognizing changes are all essential to help determine if additional support is needed.
Warning signs to look for in seniors
As you spend time with aging loved ones this holiday season, look for these warning signs that they may need extra help.
Unexplained weight loss and other physical changes
A little weight loss is common as we age. People lose an average of 0.2-0.4 pounds a year after age 65. However, if your loved one looks like they have lost a significant amount of weight, something more serious might be happening, like:
An underlying medical condition; diabetes, heart disease, hyperthyroidism, Alzheimer's disease, stomach and digestive issues, cancer, etc.
Side effects of certain medications; can cause dry mouth, dysphagia, nausea, and vomiting or alter a person's sense of taste or smell.
Psychological issues; anxiety, depression, paranoia, dementia, and Alzheimer's
Social isolation
Financial issues
Experiencing pain or discomfort
Whether the source of weight loss is easy to identify or not so obvious, your loved one's primary healthcare provider should know as soon as possible. Encourage them to make an appointment with their doctor to address the issue.
Cognitive decline
Memory loss can also be a part of the aging process. However, knowing the difference between dementia and normal aging is critical as our loved one's age.
While misplacing things or forgetting a word in a conversation from time to time can be expected, there are some signs you should be aware of that might be the beginning of a cognitive decline, such as:
Difficulty maintaining a conversation
Placing items in unusual places
Frequently becoming confused and/or forgetting things
Getting lost while walking or driving to familiar places
Continuously leaving mail unopened and not paying bills
Struggling to stay focused on a task
Not making careful decisions with money (overspending)
Only a doctor can diagnose, but these could be signs of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), dementia, Alzheimer's, or other cognitive impairment diseases.
Changes in balance and mobility
The senior in your life may be experiencing problems with balance and dizziness, which can lead to issues with their mobility and increase their chances of experiencing falls.
Issues can stem from medications, inner ear problems, alcohol, and other medical conditions, such as diabetes, stroke, thyroid, vision problems, and balance disorders.
So what changes should you look for during your holiday visits?
Hesitation to walk
"Furniture walking"
Noticeable pain when moving
Any change should be discussed with your loved one's doctor. They can recommend options like pain management, physical therapy, and mobility aids to help your loved one stay independent and prevent falls and severe injuries.
Shifts in mood and behavior
Sudden mood and behavioral changes in seniors can indicate an emerging health condition and are usually not considered a normal part of aging.
Behavioral changes in your loved one can present themselves in several ways; aggression, impulsiveness, insomnia, hallucination, and becoming withdrawn. They may also give up on personal hygiene and maintaining their home.
If you notice your aging loved one is developing mood swings, it could be caused by the following:
Depression
Anxiety
Early signs of Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia
Physical pain
Reaction to certain medications
Social isolation
Vision and/or hearing loss
Coordinating an appointment with their doctor quickly is important, as some issues, like a UTI, can be easily treated.
Home environment changes
Just like mood and behavior changes, shifts in your loved one's home environment can also present in many different ways.
Maybe their once spotless house is becoming filled with clutter (a fall risk!). Perhaps their kitchen is filled with expired food. Or their weekly pill organizer remains untouched.
Changes in their home environment can be due to physical limitations, cognitive impairment, medical conditions, mental health disorders, or a combination of these. Whether you notice subtle or extreme differences in their home, it might be time to seek outside help to assist with tasks such as medication management, cooking, and housekeeping.
Next steps
Having the initial conversation with your aging loved one about changes you've noticed might be challenging. However, it's a vital conversation that can be the first of many steps to keep them healthy, happy, and safe.
Encourage them to make an appointment with their primary care doctor for a comprehensive health assessment, and attend that appointment if you can. Based on the results from this appointment and their physician's recommendations, you can work with your loved one to come up with the next steps.
If you need information about senior living communities in the Richmond area or want to explore housing options to meet the needs of your loved one better, Benchmark Senior Solutions can help.
We offer free senior housing advisory services for older adults in Central VA. That means we use our knowledge and expertise to help your loved one find the perfect place to call home based on their medical needs, budget, and lifestyle.
