Holidays Good Time To Determine If Aging Parents Need Extra Help
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The holidays may be the only time adult children get a chance to visit with aging parents, making it a good time to take a close look to make sure they can still live independently.
Look around the house. Are there stacks of unpaid bills or newspapers? Is your parent much thinner than last Thanksgiving?
Michael Smith -- spokesman for the ACTS Retirement-Life Communities -- says just look for problems:
"What are they noticing that their parents used to do that they don't seem to be doing anymore? Are they forgetting things, are they not eating nutritiously, do they just seem lonely or depressed, are they not upkeeping their house?"
If you think it's time to move your parents out of the house and into a care facility, Smith says speak with management and other residents to find out what to expect:
"They can give you a really good idea of what life is like in a community, and they can learn about all of the types of services that are available, including health care services that are available on site."
If possible, make the visit before your parents need to move out. That way there's no pressure and there is time to see and compare different communities.