As the holidays approach, countless San Diego residents will share the seasonable spirit alongside their family, friends, and loved ones--many of which are elder and may reside in a nursing home. For others, the holidays offer a once-a-year opportunity to check in on the health and wellbeing of the loved elders in our lives. The best way to ensure that your elderly friend or family member is safe, happy, and healthy is to equip your self with the appropriate facts and information. The Center for Elder Abuse has compiled a helpful fact sheet to review as you venture home for the holidays and spend time with your loved elders. Here are a few tips, signs, and questions to consider that may help you determine whether the home aid, nurse, or nursing home staff is properly caring for your elderly loved one:
Home for the Holidays: Recognizing the Signs of Decline in Loved Elders
Do you notice any significant changes in how he or she is spending money?
Does your loved one seem afraid of or hesitant around his or her caregiver, roommate, or nursing home staff member?
Does he or she appear thin, frail, overly tired, or have any unexplained cuts, bedsores, bruises, or injuries?
Does your loved elder appear to have poor basic hygiene; are their hair or nails overgrown, do they appear unshowered; do they wear the same clothes over the course of several days?
Does your loved one have easy access to their everyday assistance items--such as glasses, hearing aids, dental hygiene tools, walkers or wheelchairs, medications, etc.?
Is there evidence--mail, e-mails, or phone messages--that indicates he or she has been the target of solicitations, aggressive telemarketers, online/by-mail contests, or other scams?
Has he or she suddenly stopped participating in a long-time activity, club, or hobby they were once devoted to?
Does your loved one appear lonely, depressed, or otherwise withdrawn or isolated from their friends, neighbors, and/or community?
Are your loved one's pets nourished, clean, and cared for?
As our elderly friends and family continue to age, it is essential that loved ones take an active role in ensuring their care does not fall to the wayside. Whether your loved one lives alone, in a nursing home, or with the help of a home aid--be sure to ask these questions during your holiday visits this year.
If you suspect an elder residing in the San Diego area is the victim of a senior scam, negligence, nursing home abuse, or other forms of elder abuse, contact an experienced elder abuse attorney and discover the recourse available to you.
If you are concerned that your elderly loved one is suffering from any form of elder abuse, contact a knowledgeable San Diego, California elder abuse lawyer to personally review your case and advise you on your options. Award winning and peer-recognized San Diego elder abuse attorney, Christopher Walton, has years of experience providing personalized, compassionate representation to victims of elder abuse and their loved ones. Call (866) 338-7079 for a confidential consultation.