Seven Signs Elderly Parents Need More Support at Home

During this holiday season, many adults are excited to visit their elderly parents, often for the first time in several months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

While many adult children and their aging parents are overjoyed to finally be able to connect face-to-face with the availability of the COVID-19 vaccines, they may witness changes in their elderly loved ones’ physical appearance and behaviors, as well as the condition of their homes. These changes could be warning signs that the aging parents need more assistance to remain living independently while staying safe and healthy.

Here are some warning signs that a mature adult might need more support at home:

1. Changes in the Home Environment
   Is their home in disarray, messier and/or more cluttered than normal? Dirty dishes and laundry piling up could be signs of decline in the elderly loved one. Scorched cookware could indicate that the older resident is forgetting when something is cooking on the stove until it burns. Expired food in the refrigerator also is a red flag of a possible safety issue.
2. Weight loss or gain
   Unintended weight loss and gain could suggest a poor diet, mobility problems, depression, dementia and other health issues.
3. Medication Misuse
   You can count the number of pills prescribed in a bottle and see how many of them have been taken to gain insight into whether your elderly parent is taking the right dosage of medicine on a regular basis.
4. Unpaid bills
   Bounced checks, late payment notices and expired registration on vehicles could be signs of trouble.
5. Changes in Mood
   Does your parent appear depressed and have little to no energy? Are they behaving differently towards their family members and friends?
6. Physical Frailty
   Even a parent who normally likes taking walks, playing golf or doing other activities will slow down at some point. But if you see parents struggling to walk up and down stairs, demonstrating an unbalanced gait while walking, or sitting in one spot for hours and then experiencing pain when they stand up, those could be symptoms of medical problems.
7. Possible Abuse
   Pay close attention to physical, behavioral and living and environmental signs that your loved one might be suffering from abuse, neglect and/or exploitation, including suspicious bruises, binding marks and burns. Some behavioral indicators that could suggest abuse, neglect or exploitation include withdrawal from friends or usual activities, as well as anger, hyperactivity and suicidal thoughts or attempts, changes in appetite and depression. You can report suspected abuse, neglect or exploitation of an adult by calling Arizona Adult Protective Services at 1-877-767-2385 or by submitting a complaint online at des.az.gov/aps.

DES and its partners can connect individuals to resources in their communities and obtain support for their elderly parents, so they can safely live in their own homes and find fulfillment in their golden years. Here are a few of the resources you can use to support a loved one while still taking care of yourself:

1. Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) offers adult daycare, healthcare, home-delivered meals, as well as help with housekeeping and personal care, transportation and respite care. Contact your local Area Agency on Aging to find services.
2. Healthy Living programs help older adults enhance their physical and mental health in a variety of ways. The Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSM) offers workshops for people with ongoing health issues to help them learn how to manage those symptoms more effectively. Trained leaders who live with chronic conditions teach the workshops, which cover diverse topics including nutrition, dealing with difficult emotions, problem-solving and activities to boost strength and stamina. Contact your local Area Agency on Aging for more information.
3. Family Caregiver Support is available to the more than 800,000 unsung heroes who are dedicated to helping loved ones. In 2020, DES launched the Arizona Family Caregiver Reimbursement Program, which allows family caregivers to receive partial reimbursement for home modifications and assistive care technology, including ramps, high-rise toilets with handrails, wheelchairs and medical alert devices, that they use to allow their relatives to be safe, mobile and independent at home. Arizona recently extended the program to last through June of 2024 and expanded eligibility. Family caregivers also can obtain information about available services; receive help accessing support; participate in counseling, support groups and training related to their roles; receive respite care to be temporarily relieved from their responsibilities; and enjoy supplemental assistance to complement the care they provide.  You also can call the Arizona Caregiver Resource Line to talk to a trained volunteer, who can provide information about available services, counseling, respite care and other programs, at 1-888-737-7494. You may also reach out to the Caregiver Action Network Resource Line at 1-855-227-3640.
4. Medicare Assistance – DES houses the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) and Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP). SHIP is a free health benefits counseling service available to all Medicare beneficiaries aimed at educating and helping those eligible for this healthcare plan and their caregivers. SMP’s mission is to guide and empower Medicare beneficiaries, as well as their family members and caregivers to prevent, detect and report healthcare fraud, abuse and errors through counseling and education. You can call the confidential SHIP Assistance Helpline at 1-800-432-4040.