Holiday Warning Signs to Watch with Older Adults

If you’re planning to see loved ones during the holidays, you need to know these 6 warning signs they need more help.

Physical Appearance
Pay specific attention to their physical appearance, like weight loss or gain and changes with things like their hair or clothes.

Home Environment
Notice if their house is more cluttered than usual or if they’ve started keeping things in different places that are either strange or more convenient to where they spend most of their time.

Nutrition
Check out the food your loved one has in the fridge, freezer, and pantry and look at things like expiration dates and the types of foods they have.

Medication Management
Look at your loved one’s pill organizer (if they have one) and look at their medications to see if things are expired or are being taken as prescribed.

Mobility
Watch your loved one walk around to see if they are furniture walking or if there are tripping hazards.

Cognitive Changes
Monitor if your loved one seems to have changes in personality, increased forgetfulness or confusion, or is more withdrawn than you would expect.

Hear from experts with The Ohio Masonic Communities to learn not only the warning signs to watch for, but what to do if you notice them. Head into the holiday season empowered to recognize your loved ones who need help and equipped with the tools you need to have tough, open conversations with the whole family.

If you want help recognizing these six warning signs in a loved one, or are looking for support as you navigate the next steps of having conversations and making decisions, reach out to us. The Ohio Masonic Communities Resource Center is here to offer support to older adults and their loved ones. Give them a call at 1-877-881-1623 or visit https://omcresourcecenter.org/.

0:00 Welcome
1:16 Changes in Physical Appearance - Holiday Warning Sign 1
2:42 Hygiene Changes in Older Adults
4:06 Safety Issues in an Older Adults Home - Holiday Warning Sign 2
6:07 Nutrition Concerns for Seniors - Holiday Warning Sign 3
8:45 Medication Management Challenges - Holiday Warning Sign 4
11:02 Senior Mobility Issues - Holiday Warning Sign 5
12:17 Cognitive Changes in Older Adults - Holiday Warning Sign 6
16:21 Assistance for Senior During the Holidays
18:21 Preparing for Hard Conversations with your Aging Parents
22:42 Who should be involved in conversations about concerns with parents?
24:01 How to handle emotions and navigate sensitive topics when talking to senior parents about concerns
26:38 How to decide on the right senior living community for your parents
30:24 How to make the transition to senior living easier for your parents
33:30 Help is Available for Seniors Moving and Their Caregivers
34:18 Have a plan for the future and don't want for an emergency to find a senior living community
35:21 Move before the holidays to experience the magic of the holidays at a senior living community