Checklist for Visiting Aging Parents Who Living Alone Over the Holidays

The holiday season is all about enjoying the time spent around your family and friends. It can also be a slightly stressful time, though, if you are worried about your elderly parent living on their own. It can be difficult to bring up the idea of living in a senior community as your parent may feel as if they will be giving up their independence if they decide to go. You may not feel as if the holiday season is the best time to bring the thought to their attention, but it should be something you keep at the forefront of your mind. At Heather Glen Senior Living, we wanted to give you some things to keep in mind and look out for when visiting your parent living on their own this holiday season.  

Help out around the house

When you host a holiday at your home, you typically spend a good deal of time preparing your house for visitors—which means that your parent will inevitably be attempting to do everything by themselves before their family arrives. Before the day gets too close, call your parent and see if there is anything that you can do to help make their time easier, or suggest ideas that you could help with that you know could be too difficult for them to manage on their own. Whether this is cleaning out the gutters, doing some extra yard work or helping out in the kitchen, do what you can to ensure they don’t overstress themselves during a time meant to be enjoyed with loved ones. 

Stay aware of any warning signs

Stay mindful when you are with your parent at their home, but don’t make it seem as if you are testing them to see if they can’t handle living alone anymore. See if there is an excessive amount of dust and dirt covering the rooms, if there is any mold growing in the refrigerator or if there are a pile of unopened bills around the house. Even if something seems like a small detail, take a mental note of it, just in case.

Take a look at their movements and actions

As well as checking their home for these signs, take notice of their movements around the house and how they are acting. If you are riding in the car with them, pay attention to their driving skills to see if they have started to decline, listen to see if they have difficulty continuing a conversation with you or if they seem to repeat stories more often than usual and try to find out if they are going out every once and a while to socialize with their friends.  

Bring up the future

It may not be the easiest conversation to start, but it is a conversation that you need to have with them. At some point, you’ll need to bring up what exactly the future holds for your family—and it’s best to do that as early as you can. Discuss questions of when your parent may need to move out, look at all of the options together and come to a conclusion on the best one that fits the needs of your family. 

Enjoy the time spent together

Most importantly, the holidays are a time to take a breath and enjoy the time spent with one another, so cherish every moment you have together this season. 

When the time comes to help your parent make the move to a senior living community, give yourself peace of mind when you know that your loved one will be getting the best care possible from our wonderful team at Heather Glen Senior Living. If you have any questions about our community, contact us online today. We’d love to hear from you.