3 Signs That Your Aging Parent Needs Additional Care

While no one likes to think about their loved ones or parents getting older, this is something that’s just a fact of life. And for most people, when they get older, they also lose some of their ability to take care of themselves.

If you and they are lucky, they might be able to hold onto things like their memories and the things they need to take care of the daily tasks that they need to accomplish. But for many people, this isn’t something that they’re able to continue doing later on in life. 

In situations such as this, your parent or loved one is likely going to need at least some level of additional care, be it at their own home or within a care facility. So to help you know if and when this is something you should be looking into, here are three signs that your aging parent needs additional care. 

They Have Trouble Remembering Basic Things

One of the first things you should be looking out for when deciding if your aging parent is in need of some extra care is if they’re having a hard time remembering things.

While some forgetfulness or minor memory loss is common as people age, Dr. Victoria Yancy, a contributor to Care.com, shares that if your parent’s memory loss is getting more regular or is having a consistent negative impact on their life, it could be time for someone else to step in and give some assistance. 

Issues Managing Their Finances

Another sign that your loved one isn’t able to care for themselves as well as they once did is if you notice issues with their financial situation. While many older people have issues with living on a fixed income, problems managing their finances often come with different symptoms.

According to Dana Larsen, a contributor to A Place For Mom, what you should really be looking for are things like bills that go to collections, checks that have bounced, or calls from collections. These things often indicate either that your parent’s finances are out of control or that things have been slipping through the cracks financially. 

Problems With Health and Hygiene

When people age, they often no longer feel the need to impress others with their appearance anymore. However, there’s a difference between being comfortable with who you are and allowing your health or hygiene to falter. 

Aging parents who have chronic conditions are especially in need of additional care. While you can’t be there to take care of them in person, there are other ways you can help your parents. Understanding their health conditions is vital to provide the right help. 

For example, older adults with arthritis may need aids, such as compression socks or stockings, arthritis gloves, and universal openers, to help them perform normal tasks with ease. Untreated hearing loss is also very common in older adults and they may need digital hearing aids to hear live sounds with convenience and comfort. Their caretakers may not be as thorough as to help your parents with these things, so it’s up to you to fill in the gap. 

If you notice things like your parent is losing a lot of weight, isn’t eating healthy foods, doesn’t seem to keep their home as clean as they once did, or generally looks like they aren’t taking care of themselves anymore, Heidi Godman, a contributor to U.S. News and World Report, shares that it could be time for them to get some help with these things. 

If you’re unsure whether or not your aging parent is still able to care for themselves entirely, consider using some of the signs mentioned above to know when you should step in with help.