When will you know when your elderly parents need help? One thing is certain: your parents won't be the ones who tell you they need help!
Aging seniors have a strong desire to remain independent and in control of their own lives for as long as possible. In their place, wouldn't you feel the same way? The last thing they want is to become a burden to their children or loved ones. Typically, the aging senior will experience a traumatic event or "wake-up call" precipitating the realization that they need assistance. For example, they may suffer a stroke or a serious injury due to a fall; or their cognitive situation, such as the onset of dementia may result in a danger to themselves or others, like leaving an article of clothing sitting on a stovetop burner.
Because you, the adult child, are unable to anticipate your parents' need for assistance until this traumatic event takes place, the emotional distress and the work/life crisis can hit you like a runaway train, making it very painful and difficult to make educated decisions you can become comfortable with. One way to avoid this is to start monitoring your parents' physical and mental abilities today, and research your care options should your parents begin to show signs of needing assistance.
So, what are some of the common indicators that your parents may need some form of assistance or care? Here are some of the telltale signs.
Your parents have difficulty with or are incapable of performing routine activities of daily living (ADLs) such as:
-
Bathing
- Dressing and grooming
- Toileting
- Transferring or moving from place to place (e.g., moving from the bed to a chair)
- Walking
- Eating
Changes in their physical appearance may indicate they need assistance:
- Noticeable weight loss (difficulty cooking, eating, shopping for food, etc.)
- Sloppy appearance/poor hygiene (difficulty bathing, dressing, and grooming)
- Black-and-blue marks on the body could indicate they've fallen and are having trouble walking or moving from place to place
- Noticeable burns on the skin could indicate they've experienced problems cooking