Recognizing the Decline of a Loved One
Recognizing that an elderly loved one’s has declined, struggling from dementia, Alzheimer’s or other cognitive impairment may be difficult for family members to handle. It is important for families to identify safety issues that may arise in order to protect their loved one and others.
These issues may not be readily obvious so here is a list of clues that families should look out for:
- Your elderly loved one who is still driving gets lost on the road, fumbles with car keys, or if his or her friends will no longer drive with him or her.
- His or her home begins to look dilapidated and food in the fridge is left unopened and/or appears rotten and expired
- The friend of a loved one or another family member may notice changes so talking to him or her may be helpful in confirming your suspicions
- A loved one may become more paranoid than usual and may barricade him or herself inside his or her room or house.
- If a loved one forgets to turn off the stove, oven etc.
However, it is important to realize that these clues may not be caused by a loved one’s deterioration but may have other reasons. For example:
- A loved one may not take care of his or her home because he or she does not want to spend money
- A simple condition like a urinary tract infection may have a huge effect on a patient’s cognition
- Uneaten food in the fridge may simply be forgotten. It does not necessarily mean that a loved one is deteriorating.
Families should to be wary of any changes in the behavior of a loved one and should be aware that these instances need further investigation as they may not mean that a loved one has deteriorated.
Add comment July 30th, 2009
