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This Mother's Day Celebrate And Evaluate
JACKSON - The Orchards at Bartley reminds everyone who will be spending time with their mothers this Mother's Day, May 11, to do more than simply celebrate. The time you spend with mom on Mother's Day is the ideal opportunity to take notice of any changes in her health and well-being you may not have been aware of. Many of these changes are the natural result of aging; however, some changes may be indicative of an underlying problem.
Some warning signs that you should look for include:
Change in Appearance. Do you notice any differences? Is your mother's hair unkempt? Is she wearing makeup? If so, has it been carefully applied? Does her clothing appear clean? Are there any noticeable changes in her hygiene?
Weight: Has mom lost weight? Is she thinner than usual? How are her meals managed? If she's still cooking for herself, is she preparing and eating three well-balanced meals a day? What type of food is in her refrigerator? Or does it appear empty? Take the time to discuss her meals with her.
DifficultyWalking. Does mom appear strong and stable, or is she having trouble walking? Does she hold on to furniture, walls or other objects as she moves about her home? Do you notice any bruising on her arms or legs? Are you aware of any falls she has suffered?
Housekeeping. Does your mother's home appear as it always has, or is there a change? If she always kept a spotless home, is it still that way? Is everything in order? Or is there dust, dirt on the floor or piles of papers and mail left lying around?
Medication Management. This is a difficultarea to properly evaluate. After all, mom may tell you she is taking her medications, when in fact, she may not be doing so. Investigate. Are there more pills in her medication bottles than would seem appropriate based on the dosage and the date the prescription was filled? If she uses a weekly medication dispenser system, check it. Are the correct medications missing, indicating they were taken on the right days? Or are there more (or less) medications than there should be?
Forgetfulness. Does mom seem to forget things you just told her? Do you findyourself repeating the same information over and over? Is she forgetting where she put things or the names of family members? Does she repeatedly ask the same question or tell the same story? Does she have trouble finding the right word when she's conversing? Does she forget to turn off lights, turn off the oven or close and lock doors?
Behavior. Is mom suddenly behaving differently? Has her personality changed? Has she become nervous or anxious about being alone? Is she dressing, acting or speaking differently than she ever has before? Has she suddenly become secretive and unwilling to share information with you?
Social Life. Has mom withdrawn from her normal social activities? Has she stopped attending weekly religious services? Does she ever join friends for any outings? Has she stopped participating in any hobbies or past times she used to enjoy, such as baking, playing Bridge, gardening, scrapbooking, etc.? Or does she spend most of her time alone at home?
Daily Tasks. Does mom seem to be having trouble doing her daily tasks? Is it difficultto follow recipe instructions or set the timer on the oven? Does she become confused or frustrated trying to follow simple instructions?
If you become aware of any of these warning signs, your parent may be in need of help. While it may be difficultand heartbreaking to admit that your mother is experiencing a decline in health, mobility, capabilities or mental agility, the good news is there are many solutions to her individual situation. Maybe the answer is simply a meal delivery program or visiting nurse. Perhaps she needs the support of the services offered in an assisted living community. Whatever the issue, it is important that you seek help.
A good place to start is with a medical evaluation of your mother by a physician who specializes in geriatric medicine.
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