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Safety and the Senior
10 Signs that Your Aging
Parents Need Help
Safety Tips for the Adult Children
With more and more families dispersed geographically, adult
children who live far away from their elderly parents face ongoing worry about
their health and safety. As aging parents, particularly those who live alone,
face medical and mobility issues, questions relating to their physical, social
and psychological well-being arise. How do you know if a parent’s needs have
changed and more care is necessary?
Adult children should be aware of any changes in their
parents’ attitudes or behavior— changes which are often undetectable over the
telephone. There are, however, clear warning signs that some type of
intervention is needed.
1. Mail and bills are left to
pile up. The simple act of opening and filing mail becomes overwhelming.
Managing a checking account can also become too much for a parent to handle.
2. The house is cluttered or
unkempt. This is especially troubling if a parent has always been neat and
orderly.
3. Food in the refrigerator is
uneaten or spoiled. Shopping, cooking, and cleaning become too much trouble. A
parent might eat just enough to get by, but suffer nutritionally. Losing weight
can be another sign that a parent is not eating a nutritious diet.
4. Signs of scorching on the
bottoms of pots and pans. A result of short-term memory loss, this is a
dangerous sign that parents are forgetting about pots left on the stove, causing
a fire hazard, and threatening both the individual’s and the surrounding
neighbors’ safety.
5. The parent wears the same
clothing over and over again and has other personal hygiene issues. Doing
laundry has become physically challenging, particularly if the washing machine
is in the basement. Or there may be a fear of falling in the tub or shower.
6. Missed doctor’s appointments.
Sometimes this is simply a product of not having transportation and not knowing
how to access ride options.
7. Repeated phone calls at odd
hours. When a parent telephones friends or family at odd hours, it may be a sign
of memory loss, or a cry for help— a sign of depression or isolation. Arranging
for a daily check-in phone call, a regular volunteer visitor, or getting
involved with a local senior center, could make all the difference.
8. Forgetting to take medication.
A sign of short-term memory loss or depression, this isn’t just a quality of
life issue, but a real risk factor.
9. Inappropriate behavior,
clothing or speech. You may hear about this from a neighbor, someone who has
noticed that your parent is not dressing appropriately for the weather, for
instance. That’s a sign that he or she might be confused.
10. Symptoms of depression. A
frequent problem for many older people, who feel isolated and alone, like a
prisoner in their own homes, depression causes marked changes in behavior and
routine. Feelings of hopelessness or despair, lack of interest in once
pleasurable activities, crying, listlessness, and not wanting to get dressed can
all be indications of a problem.
Once adult children decide that a parent needs assistance, the
next step is determining what kind. Adult daycare, meal delivery, psychiatric
counseling, home health services, home safety modifications, interaction at a
senior center, installing an emergency response service—these are just a few
things that can make a big difference to an older adult living alone, who most
likely wants to remain at home. Assisted living isn’t always the only answer.
Consider consulting a geriatric care manager. Care managers
work closely with each elderly parent and his or her family, making a detailed
assessment to find out what solutions are needed—and will be more likely
accepted. In addition, a care manager can often help a parent understand the
need for change.
Resistance to any kind of change is common, especially among
the senior population. That’s where having an objective third party involved can
be helpful. Geriatric care managers can make this time of transition easier for
everyone. Even if adult children live out of the area, we can be their eyes and
ears so a parent’s everyday well-being will no longer be such a worry.
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In
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Feeling tired all the time?
You’re not alone. In fact, fatigue is one of the most
common complaints that bring adults to doctors’ offices.
Numerous studies indicate that people who see their doctor
about fatigue have generally experienced it for a
considerable length of time — anywhere from six months to
several years!
Fatigue can be due to numerous causes, such as medical
conditions like congestive heart failure, hypothyroidism or
diabetes. It can also be a result of sleep disturbances
brought on by menopause, or by physical changes that
accompany aging. But while fatigue may be an inescapable
part of life, there’s no need to take it lying down. Your
body is geared toward generating energy as well as expending
it. And there are numerous strategies to help regain the
physical and mental energy needed to enjoy life to its
fullest.
Eat for energy
The tried-and-true advice
for healthful eating also applies to keeping your energy
level high:
• Eat a balanced
diet that includes a variety of carbohydrates,
proteins, and fats with an emphasis on vegetables, whole
grains, and healthy oils. Taking a daily multivitamin will
ensure that you get the vitamins and minerals you need, but
taking extra amounts of individual nutrients won’t give you
more energy.
• Eating certain
types of foods in particular amounts can help
prevent fatigue. Because different kinds of foods are
converted to energy at different rates, some — such as candy
and other simple sugars — can give you a quick lift, while
others — such as whole grains and healthy unsaturated fats —
supply the reserves you’ll need to draw on throughout the
day.
• Eat small,
frequent meals. Where energy is the issue, it’s
better to eat small meals and snacks every few hours than
three large meals a day. This approach can reduce your
perception of fatigue because your brain, which has very few
energy reserves of its own, needs a steady supply.
Reduce stress
The most common cause of
persistent fatigue is stress and the emotional response to
it. People who feel fatigued most of the time don’t
necessarily have more stress in their lives than other
people, but they may be more sensitive to its effects.
Stress-induced emotions consume huge amounts of energy.
Relaxation therapy can be an effective tool for reducing
stress and naturally boosting your energy, particularly when
used in combination with cognitive behavioral therapy.
Meditation, self-hypnosis, yoga, and tai chi are all
relaxation techniques. One of the easiest techniques to use
is progressive muscle relaxation, which involves
systematically tightening and releasing sets of muscles,
beginning with your toes and progressing up your legs,
torso, hands, and arms. You might also consider other
relaxation therapies, including aromatherapy and massage.
No
matter what age you are, there are things that you can do to
feel more energetic. Harvard Health Publications’
Boosting Your Energy report will help you take the
first steps toward discovering the causes of your fatigue.
This Special Health Report provides you with the latest
information about fatigue and offers strategies to help you
regain your physical and mental energy. The report discusses
medical conditions that may be the cause of your fatigue as
well as ways to naturally boost your energy.
Reprinted from Boosting Your Energy
— A Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School,
Copyright © 2007 by the President and Fellows of Harvard
College. All rights reserved. |
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