The holidays are traditionally a time of year when families come together and see each other after being away for long periods of time. Sometimes we cannot directly observe changes in health of our loved ones by communicating over the phone or through email. This is a great opportunity for you to perform a “healthy living” evaluation on your loved ones, especially the elderly in your family. Observing signs of a decline in health may mean that your loved one deserves extra care - either from family members or an outside health organization.

Signs to look for include:

1. Memory Issues - Does your family member become confused very easily? Does your family member forget things like names of people or where items are located around the house? These could be early signs of dementia.

2. Check your loved one’s refrigerator - if you notice a lot of old and expired food in the fridge it may mean that your loved one has forgotten how to cook or that she/he may be afraid to cook food because of weakness or balance issues when near the stove. If your loved one says he/she primarily eats fruit bars, then they may lack the confidence or not remember how to cook food. Your loved one may need assistance with preparing nutritious and balanced meals.

3. Does your family member move slower than normal. This could be a sign of hip or knee problems, arthritis, or osteoporosis. Your family member may not be stable enough to safely walk around without the assistance of a cane or walker.

4. Is your family member not as optimistic or upbeat than normal. This could be a sign of depression. Your loved one may be feeling lonely or that no one can relate to her. You need to be there for her and suggest leaving the house on social outings through her church or volunteer for a non-profit. If your loved shows signs of dementia, then an adult day care may be more appropriate to deliver the needed level of socialization.

These are just some signs to look for. Sue and Eric were on San Diego Living early this week and give some more insight into this topic. Click here to view the video.

Of course WE can always be there for your loved ones. Call us today at (619) 656-4380 or visit our Private Duty Page and we can set up an assessment to determine if home care is an appropriate option. We are also running a special now until 12/31/11 - call us and mention this blog post and all new clients receive 2 hours of home care FREE!*

*Must reserve a minimum of 4 hours