| Submitted by Brenda McBride
For many Americans, the Holiday season is one of the few times during the year that adults and their
older loved ones spend quality time together.
The Holidays may be a time when families face and discuss the
difficult decisions about finding care for their older relative.
The Eldercare Locator has produced a guide of
"10 warning signs" to help families and older Americans determine if help is needed.
Any one of the behaviors
listed may or may not indicate that an action should be taken, your family member's physician should
be kept informed of physical or psychological behavior changes.
Ten Warning Signs Your Older Family Member May Need Help
Has your family member:
Changed eating habits within the last year resulting
in weight loss, having no appetite, or missed
meals?
Neglected personal hygiene resulting in wearing
dirty clothes, body odor, bad breath, neglected
nails and teeth, sores on the skin?
Neglected their home so it is not as clean or
sanitary as you remember growing up?
Exhibited inappropriate behavior by being unusually
loud or quiet, paranoid, agitated, making phone
calls at all hours?
Changed relationship patterns such that friends
and neighbors have expressed concerns?
Had physical problems such as burns or injury
marks resulting from general weakness, forgetfulness,
or possible misuse of alcohol or prescribed
medications?
Decreased or stopped participating in activities
that were previously important to them such as
bridge or a book club, dining with friends, or attending
religious services?
Exhibited forgetfulness resulting in unopened
mail, piling newspapers, not filling their prescriptions,
or missed appointments?
Mishandled finances such as not paying bills, losing
money, paying bills twice or more, or hiding
money?
Made unusual purchases such as buying more
than one magazine subscription of the same
magazine, entered an unusual amount of contests,
increased usage of purchasing from television
advertisements?
To access services, contact
Eldercare Locater at 800-677-1116
or through the website at
www.eldercare.gov | 
