Published News Articles

Holiday ‘Check-Ups’ – Are Mom and Dad Okay?

St. Louis, MO (December 6, 2006) – “Over the River and Through the Woods…”  As families gather for the holidays, many will overlook their parents’ behavior, thinking that it is a senior moment or normal aging, when in fact, there may be a reason for concern.  “We find that if people recognize areas where a loved one may be struggling, families can take the necessary steps to obtain assistance,” says Julie Bracewell, President of Home Helpers St Louis, an industry leader offering non-medical care services, similar to what is often supplied by family members.

Home Helpers has teamed up with Charles Puchta, a certified senior advisor and author of The Caregiver Resource Guide to develop a quiz to help families determine if their aging or ill loved ones may need assistance with daily living.  

“Holiday visits are a wonderful time to informally ‘check-up’ on older family members, as gatherings are usually longer than the more typical short stop-by visits,” says Puchta. Bracewell adds, “Longer visits provide an opportunity to observe older people in a variety of situations. Many older people struggle unnecessarily and try to hide problems from the rest of the family because they don’t want to impose upon them or worry them.”
Take the 10 question quiz and see if there may be a reason for concern.

1. Illness – Have either of your parents been diagnosed with a disease or illness that could impact their daily living activities? 
2. Driving - If your parents still drive, is there reason to believe that either of them pose an above average risk for an accident?  
3. Food/Nutrition - Are your parents eating balanced meals? Do they have a reasonable variety of food in the pantry and refrigerator with future expiration dates?
4. Hygiene - How do your parents look and smell -- including their breath? Are the linens and towels fresh?   
5. Daily Tasks - Are basic tasks more challenging, frustrating or time consuming for your parent?  E.g., getting ready to go out, preparing a meal or shopping.
6. Medication - Can your parents administer (meaning dosage and frequency) prescription medications properly?  Do they know what the medications are for?
7. Finances - Are your parents able to take care of their personal finances?  Do they have a reasonable amount of cash in their wallets?  
8. Mail - Is the mail stacking up?  Do you see any past due or delinquency notices? 
9. Memory - Do they remember names, places and current events?
10. Safety - Are they careful about turning off the stove or coffeepot? Do they ever carelessly leave candles or cigarettes burning? Are sharp objectives properly put away?

If after taking the quiz you have concern with one or more issues, chances are that Mom or Dad are struggling, and it might be time to explore ways to help in a preemptive fashion, rather than waiting to react.

“Considering potential care needs sure beats the alternative. Too many times, families are thrust into the caregiving experience as a result of a crisis situation and are completely unprepared to know what to do and how to do it,” Bracewell adds. 

About Us
Home Helpers, a national, award-winning leader in the industry of providing companion and personal care services, offers a free educational series entitled ‘Caregiving Considerations.’ The free series is designed to help families prepare for the many issues they are likely to encounter as loved ones age or become ill. The series, written by award-winning author Charles Puchta, is available at no charge on Home Helpers’ website – www.HomeHelpers.CC.   Puchta is founder and president of Aging America Resources and Director of the Center for Aging with Dignity at the University Of Cincinnati College Of Nursing. For more information visit www.CareMinistry.com and www.CareAdvocate.com.