No one likes to think that their parent is struggling or that they’re not the person they once were when they were growing up. But sadly, as we get older, our bodies go through many changes, and the decline in certain areas of health can impact how people are able to live and function each day.
When you’re caring for an ageing parent, knowing the signs that they might need help, specifically cognitive assistance, means you can help them out rather than leave them to struggle.
Here are a few signs to look out for.
Missing Bill Payments or Financial Mistakes
A parent who has always paid bills reliably and suddenly starts missing deadlines, paying the same bill twice, or making uncharacteristic financial decisions is a pattern worth paying attention to instead of attributing to simple forgetfulness.
You’ll notice this alongside other behaviors such as confusion over bank account balances or making unusually large purchases or withdrawals. This can point to impaired judgment. If you notice this happening, take a look at their financial activity over the previous weeks to see what has been happening.
Trouble Keeping Track of Medications
This can look like them missing doses, taking too many doses, or forgetting if they have already taken them, pointing to a disruption in the kind of routine memory that managing multiple medications requires.
Not only is missing or overdosing on medication bad for health, but it can be a warning sign that your parent is declining cognitively. Sure, there are tools you can use to help, i.e., using a pill box that has slots for each day’s medications and when they need to be taken so you can keep track of it but at this point looking for cognitive testing can give you answers as to what is going on so you can talk to a doctor about what to do next and what the best course of action is.
Withdrawing From Social Activities They Used to Enjoy
A parent who has reliably attended regular social activities or has regular habits they indulge in, i.e., volunteering or hosting family gatherings, but is now avoiding them is a case for concern.
There may be multiple reasons they’re doing this. It can be them forgetting the events are happening, being confused over what the day is so they miss it as they’re not sure the event is happening right now, or they might be struggling with remembering names, keeping up with conversations or simply because they’ve lost interest.
This kind of withdrawal often gets misread as depression or normal ageing when it can actually be due to cognitive difficulty. Missing the odd event isn’t an issue, but if this becomes something they’re doing with increased regularity, it’s worth discussing it with them and diving into the case more.
Putting Items in Unusual Places
This can be finding keys in the refrigerator, reading glasses in a kitchen drawer or a remote control in the laundry basket. It can be anything; actually, there’s no set rule that points to cognitive changes, but items in unusual locations that don’t make sense are a warning signal that something is going on.
Again, one-off incidents aren’t too much to worry about, but if they’re constantly losing items only to find them in odd places, take notice.
Mom on the go in Holy Toledo 