January Regional Senior Housing Directory 2018 | The Senior Reporter 11
coming into your home setting.
There are a number of local
agencies that offer services
with a sliding fee scale. There
are several options for nutrition
services: Meals on Wheels,
Mom’s Meals (online, food
delivery), Schwantz Home food
delivery, etc. For other services,
the Senior LinkAge Line and
Age Well Arrowhead are good
resources to get started if you
don’t have a parish nurse to
assist you.
If you are a family member who
needs help in making the decision
for your elder family member, here
are some Big Picture signs that
seem very practical from www.
caring.com:
• Look for Big Red Flags:
“close calls” in driving, falls,
worsening of chronic health
conditions, etc.
• Up-close signs might include:
looking at the nutritional status
of your loved one; is there
significant weight loss or gain?
Body odors or changes in
appearance?
• Social isolation: Are their
friends still calling? Do they
leave the house? Who checks
on them regularly?
• Financial signs: Are bills piling
up? Unopened mail, over-
abundance of magazines, etc.
Where’s the checkbook?
• Driving signs: Take a ride with
your loved one. Examine the
car.
• Explore the kitchen: Check the
refrigerator for expired food. Is
the garbage being taken out?
• Look around the inside of the
house: Is it kept up? How does
the bathroom look? Are the
pathways clear?
• Walk around the outside of
the house: newspapers in the
bushes, uncut grass, weeds in
flowerbeds are all signs that
someone who is vulnerable may
live there.
• Get input from the person’s
health care provider (if you are
able). Listen to their neighbors
and friends.
The article on the noted website
seems helpful for families starting
this process.
All in all, there is no single answer
on when it is a good time to move.
Each person has a different story
and situation; some are more
emergent than others. Don’t put off
what needs to be done. Someone’s
safety may be at stake.