A change in eating habits, loss of desire or energy to keep up one’s appearance, or the misuse of medication may indicate more serious problems which may require a mental or physical evaluation.

Begin with a thorough physical examination to help determine which course of action is to be taken. Physicians and evaluation centers specializing in gerontology offer services that include mental health screening, dental checks, hearing and eye examinations, physical workups, etc.

Safety is an important concern throughout every aspect of an older person’s life – especially when he or she lives alone or has lost some ability to perform daily tasks. Any decisions involving your parents’ living arrangement, daily procedures and even the gifts they receive should include safety as a high priority.

Following are changes your aging parents may experience which indicate that you should seek help:

• Sudden weight loss
• Failure to take medications or overtaking medications
• Burn marks or bruises which may indicate falls or forgetfulness
• Deterioration in personal habits/personal grooming i.e. body odor, not changing clothes, washing hair or shaving
• Increased car accidents of a minor or major nature
• General forgetfulness – i.e. name, address, phone number, meal times or failure to keep appointments
• Increase in alcohol consumption
• Increased frailty/weakness
• Decrease in tidiness/cleanliness of home
• Extreme suspiciousness. Expressing thoughts that previously trusted neighbors, friends, or family are conspiring against them
• Increase in safety hazards; leaving stove on, burning food, forgetting to wipe up spills, failure to turn on heat or air conditioning or dressing inappropriately for weather
• Increased agitation/anxiousness
• Expressing depressed thoughts and feelings, depressed facial affect, apathy
• Unable to keep finances straight, failure to pay bills, not recording checks

For more information call 553-3000 or toll-free (877) 553-3001 or email info@heartlandfamilyservice.org.