Ascertaining whether your aging parent is happy, content, and capable of running, managing, and maintaining their own home is decidedly tricky.
Essentially, this is due to the simple fact that every single person, regardless of age or lifestyle, has good days and bad days.
So, with this in mind, continue reading to discover four warning signs that your elderly loved one is no longer coping at home.
Their Hygiene Levels Are Slipping
For healthy, both in the context of emotional well-being and physical fitness, people of any age and from any background, the simple task of waking up in the morning, bathing, dressing, and getting ready for the day is second nature.
However, if you notice your aging loved one seems to be neglecting such basic personal hygiene tasks and they seem to be wearing old, stained, and dirty clothing, this is one of the more common warning signs that all is not well.
2. Their Weight Is Falling Rapidly
Cooking is, for some people, an intensely enjoyable and immersive hobby, which is to be celebrated and maximized at any given opportunity, yet for others, it is simply a means to an end.
If your parent or other aging family member once loved to delve into one of their many recipe books and cook and bake to their heart's content, yet, now they seem uninterested in meals and, more crucially, have lost weight in a short space of time, then this is a huge red flag.
3. They Seem to Lack Energy & Motivation
A tragic fact surrounding older adults and the elderly is that isolation and loneliness can be so destructive to their mental health and well-being, even to the point of being the primary cause of death.
If your loved one seems to be experiencing low mood and even signs and symptoms of depression, then firstly it is important to ensure they make an appointment with their medical doctor as soon as possible and secondly, that you suggest making the move to assisted senior living in Houston, whereby they will be part of a thriving community.
4. Their Home Is Dirty & Untidy
The fourth most obvious warning sign that your loved one is no longer happy and comfortable living in and maintaining their own home is that their house always appears to be in a state of disrepair. This is especially the case if this differs from how it was previously.
If unopened bills and other items of mail are piling up on the floor or side dresser, pots and pans are piled up in the sink, the faucets and toilets are no longer being cleaned, and their bedroom is decidedly musty, all these signs indicate they may require additional help.
Aside from the four warning signs discussed in detail here, you should also be concerned if your beloved family member or close friend trips and falls whilst home alone, or if they always seem too tired and exhausted to talk to you.
