Wendy Adlerstein, LSW, Executive Director & Owner of FirstLight Home Care of West Suburban Boston, was recently interviewed by CarolAnn Tutera, an aging advocate and influencer, for her podcast series, “Adventures in Aging.”
In the engaging 30-minute podcast, Wendy explains how people tend to want to stay at home for as long as possible. Many older adults have memories tied to the house including raising a family, they are close to their community, and cherish the familiarity with local shops. Sometimes staying at home is not always an option and home can become another place like a senior living community or long term care facility. Wendy discusses the signs that adult children should keep in mind when visiting with their parents–signs which may indicate that it is time to bring in additional resources. Wendy suggests taking a close look at the home’s exterior—how does the yard look, any changes in the maintenance? When inside the home, look for the delivered mail—is it piling up on the table, and are there unpaid bills? This might be a sign that things are becoming more challenging. Is the refrigerator stocked? Has food been in there too long? Do you notice a drop in your loved ones’ weight—are they eating ok?
Later in the podcast interview, Wendy discusses nutrition for seniors, hygiene challenges, safety in the home, techniques for responding to repetition from loved ones with cognitive decline, and strategies for taking away the car keys when it is no longer safe to drive. Finally, Wendy offers a way to start a conversation with a loved one about aging concerns—it begins with a question: what is their perception of how things are going?
Listen to the podcast episode.
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