Warning Signs of Aging and Decline
What are warning signs of age related decline?
Many times, elders will tell us one thing, and do something completely different. I find phone calls can be particularly deceptive, because what I hear can be a “memory response”, but not an actual occurrence.
The following tips are potential warning signs that your elderly parents may soon need some assistance.
— Missed appointments: Failing to meet a friend or doctor without cancelling in advance may be a sign of declining health.
— Maintaining hygiene: Pay attention to body odor, grooming, incontinence and dressing according to the season. The step of simply washing hands can be skipped by many seniors.
— Easily disoriented: A failure to recognize familiar spaces, wandering, or getting lost in well-known areas are early signs of dementia. (This may be Alzheimer’s Disease, which is one of many specific cases of memory impairment.)
— Loss of memory: Forgetting something at the store is a sign of “benign” memory loss; forgetting something at the store and not remembering that you did when someone reminds you of it is “malignant,” or pathological memory impairment and bears a closer look.
— Word problems: Not being able to recall a common word for something, or repeating oneself can be a symptom of dementia or mental illness. Do you experience the same stories, or the same comments, from your elderly parents? Sometimes this repetition can occur within minutes.
— Random check-writing: Sending money to previously unknown “charities” or other out-of-the-blue expenditures can signal an inability to exercise appropriate judgment. My mother is certainly guilty of this.
— Physical aggression: A senior who attacks others because they are believed to pose a threat shows an inability to control feelings of distress.
- Warning Signs of Dementia, pt. 2 - May 14, 2024
- Warning Signs of Dementia, pt. 1 - May 8, 2024
- Too Old to Receive Treatment? Diagnosing the Elderly - April 30, 2024
- Managing Elderly Parents and Their Medical Needs/Appointments, pt 2 - April 23, 2024
- Managing Elderly Parents and Their Medical Needs/Appointments, pt 1 - April 17, 2024
- Senior Nutrition, pt 7 - April 3, 2024
- Senior Nutrition, pt 6 - March 28, 2024
- Senior Nutrition Guidance, pt 5 - March 18, 2024
- Senior Nutrition Guidance, pt 4 - March 11, 2024
- Senior Nutrition Guidance, pt. 3 - March 5, 2024
John D. Miller is the founder/owner of Home Care Partners, LLC, a Massachusetts business providing private duty, personalized in-home assistance and companion care services to those needing help in daily activities and household functions.
Phone: (781) 378-2164
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://homecarepartnersma.com