Going home for the holidays provides an opportunity to check in with your mom or dad and ensure that they are healthy, thriving, and happy. More than 7,000,000 Americans care for a loved from from a distance according to the National Alliance for Caregiving. Take the opportunity this holiday season to check in with your loved ones and ensure that they are healthy and happy.

1. Now is a good time to do minor upkeep on your parents home.
Replace all the batteries while you are home. Check the electrical
outlets for burning and remove extension cords. Replace open,
electrical space heaters. Place them away from furniture.
What kind of shape is the
checkbook in? Are any of
the checks to people or
organizations you are
unfamiliar with? Do you
find unpaid or delinquent
bills in the desk?
Are messages left on the
answering machine? Is there
fresh, nutritious food in the
cupboard and refrigerator?
Are smoke detectors working
correctly? Is the microwave
oven clean? Are there burn
marks anywhere?
Do they appear clean?
Do they dress like they
always have? Are they
drinking more alcohol?
Are their prescriptions
current? Do they identify
a need for help with a
bath? Look for bruising.
Traveling home to visit your parents over the holidays can be one of the most special experiences of
the year. But going over the hill and through the woods to Grandma’s house isn’t just a festive
experience: it offers you a chance to see first-hand how mom and dad are doing.
Do they repeat themselves frequently?
Do they seem agitated, anxious, or
depressed? Do they laugh at old stories
and visit old friends, or have they
become more antisocial?
If you don’t see your elderly
loved ones regularly, when you
drop by for the holidays, you may be
surprised at the changes you observe
in their mental status and physical
ability. While you are at home, ask
yourself the following questions to
evaluate how your loved ones are
doing living independently.
The National Alliance for Caregiving estimates that 7,000,000 Americans care for a loved one from a
distance. As the population of older adults in the United States skyrockets, this number will grow along with it.
Have they lost weight?
Weight loss can be a sign
of illness and/or
malnourishment, and
should be brought to a
physician s attention.
Have they kept recent
medical appointments?
Are they unstable on
their feet or holding onto
furniture to walk? Do they
report falling? Do they
recognize that they need to use a
cane, walker, or bathroom grab bars?