Holiday Surprises – Changes to Watch for When Visiting Elderly Relatives

For the home care industry our busiest time is approaching.  When the holidays arrive the jingling we hear isn’t from reindeer on our rooftop it is from our phones ringing.  

Why is this the busiest time of the year?  “Mom sounds fine on the phone, when you talk to her for a few minutes, but when the family comes to visit for the holidays that is when the reality sets in,” says Mary Ellen Fleming, Chief Operating Officer of FirstLight Home Care of Greater Charlotte. 

Here are some signs that it likely is time to get some help for your family member:

1. Has their dressing habits changed?  Do you notice that they are wearing the same clothes for more than one day, are their clothes no longer matching, are the clothes not buttoned properly, do they seem to be layering inappropriately?  
2. Has their hygiene upkeep changed?  Is their hair, their face, their use of deodorant different and less kept up than it used to be?
3. What is going on in the refrigerator?  Is there food that should have been thrown out a long time ago, whether it is leftovers or food in a can or bottle that is past its expiration date?
4. What are their eating habits?  It can take a lot of energy to make a meal.  Are they eating out or buying prepared food a lot more, are they skipping the meal and just eating one thing?
5. How does their home look?  Are things cluttered, is mail stacking up, are they no longer staying on top of their laundry?   Have they changed their sheets and cleaned their bathroom lately?

 Change is what you are looking for, an indication that doing all those things we have to do every day just isn’t as easy to stay on top of due to a changing physical and/or mental condition.  Before you drive or fly back home know that you can have a top quality home care agency, helping out, and with eyes and ears in the home, with a user-friendly online portal that can help you manage from afar. 

“My Mother was living in a rural area where home care, after hours prescription medication services, transportation, and food delivery wasn’t possible.   Living in an area like Charlotte where all of these services are available is such a luxury when it comes to caring for the elderly,” shared Ken Fleming, President.