Caring For Your Parents: 5 Things To Watch For This Holiday Season
The holiday season is always a fun time of year. From baking cookies to seeing the yearly production of The Nutcracker, chances are you’ll be spending more time together as a family this month.
Whether you live hundreds of miles from your parents, and will be spending a week with them this holiday season, or you simply have more time during the last weeks of the year to spend time with your parents, take some time and assess how well they are living on their own. 
Here are 5 things to watch for as you spend time in their home, and spending time together this holiday season.
1. Assess the cleanliness of their home. Do they have piles in the common living areas? Is the kitchen well stocked and counters clean? Is there old food in the refrigerator? Are there rooms where the doors are shut, and they won’t let you in? All could be signs of overwhelm, and they simply can’t deal with day-to-day pressures.
2. Test their driving skills. Instead of you doing all the driving, have them drive you to the grocery store or the mall. Evaluate how well they drive, and how quick their reaction time is to other cars and traffic signals.
3. Listen. Do they repeat stories again and again? While this may seem common if you only speak once per week, if you notice the same trend every day you are together, it my signal dementia or early signs of Alzheimer’s. Also, don’t be quick to jump in and fill in the blanks when they are having trouble finishing a story. See if they can find missing words, and put endings to stories.
4. Check the mail. While your parents may be private, checking the daily mail for a week or so can provide you insight on bill paying and account information. Make sure they are up to date on bills, and aren’t falling for mail or phone scams that come their way.
5. Talk about the future. Even if everything seems to be in order this year, talk about the future. Open up conversations to caregiving, their wishes, and possibly some options. While know one likes the idea of needing help to remain at home, by broaching the subject early, you can open communication lines for the future.
If you would like to talk about options for caregiving, Adeste In Home Care can provide you with solutions, and give you ideas for talking with your parents. Talking early will help you take the necessary steps when the time comes.
