Home for the Holidays

Did you visit family members over the holidays? Many of us celebrated with family members we had not seen for several months. It could be your usually well-dressed dad wearing the same old stained sweatpants all day every day; or finding your mom’s purse in the freezer.

Or it could be something more troublesome –

Problems around the house:

• Dirty dishes, laundry, and old mail/newspapers piling up?
• Have they stopped cooking because their kitchen appliances don’t work?
• Are you finding food stashed next to or underneath the bed, or in unusual places?
• Is the yard overgrown and full of weeds?

Financial problems and falling prey to fraudsters:

• Is there a new “friend” you’ve never met calling often and spending a lot of time “helping” your loved one?
• Is money missing from their financial accounts?
• Are they responding to mailed or emailed solicitations asking for “donations”?
• Are they bouncing checks, getting collection calls and late payment notices?
• Are they sending cash or gift cards to people you don’t know?

Personal changes:

• Are they acting differently toward you, friends, or even strangers?
• Do they seem uncertain with familiar tasks such as laundry, vacuuming, or washing dishes?
• Do they smile or laugh like they used to, or do they seem depressed with no energy?
• Do they have poor personal hygiene?
• Are they wearing dirty or tattered clothing?
• Are they losing their keys, purse/wallet or other important items?
• Are they forgetting to take their medication?
• Have they lost interest in activities or hobbies they once enjoyed?
• Are they afraid to leave the house? Do they frequently cancel or miss appointments?
• Have they lost weight due to eating less or only eating fast food and prepackaged snacks?
• Do they have unexplained and more frequent bruises, scratches, or cuts?
• Are there unexplained dents or damage on their car?

It is a terrible day when you realize that someone you love may not be able to live on their own any longer. Please call our office at 630-585-5200 as soon as possible when something has changed in your life or in the life of someone you love. We will meet with you to review your current situation. You are important to us, and this meeting with will be at no charge to you.

When you don’t know what to do, call us. We are here to help you and your family with life’s tough transitions.