Happy Holidays, From Our Family To Yours! The staff at St. Andrew’s Senior Solutions would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your family a peaceful and joyful holiday season. The holidays are a wonderful time to come together and create memories that will last a lifetime, and we wish your family a season full of health, love, and happiness. We would also like to use this time as a reminder that help is just a phone call away if you have questions or about your loved one’s or your family’s caregiving situation. This time of year our staff often sees an increase in reports of concern from family members who may not be able to spend time with their older loved ones on a regular basis. With more and more families dealing with long distance caregiving, and relying on phone calls or other forms of communication rather than in person visits, a lot of significant details can be missed. When we do come together, changes or a decline in health or activity may be much more noticeable. If you find yourself in this situation and are wondering what may be normal versus what is cause for concern, here are some warning signs that help may be needed:

Change in eating habits, including weight loss/gain or general change in appetite Neglected personal care Lack of home maintenance/housekeeping General weakness or difficulty with mobility Increased confusion/forgetfulness Decreased social interaction, inactivity Unusual display of unopened mail, missed appointments, unfilled prescriptions, etc. Mishandling finances/Unusual purchases Expired foods, inadequate supply of food, or hoarding food

Keep in mind that anything that is a significant change may be a cause for concern. If your mother was never very social then it may not be an issue that she does not wish to get out of the house much given the hectic pace of the holidays. But if she unfailingly made it to Bingo, her weekly hair appointment, and all of her church holiday functions yet suddenly she prefers to stay in, this may be a sign of a larger problem. If you notice any of these warning signs or would like assistance in discussing and planning for a loved one’s future needs, please do not hesitate to contact your Elder Care Specialist at your convenience. We are happy to help, now and throughout the year. From all of us at St. Andrew’s Senior Solution, Happy Holidays!!!!

For more information contact your Caring Workplace Eldercare Specialist, Heather O’Brien at 314-802-5106, Toll free 1-888-388-1930 or hobrien@standrews1.com

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