Try: Here are some things to look for to decide whether a senior may need some extra help at home or may need another type of living arrangement has the senior changed eating habits within the last year resulting in weight loss having no appetite or missed meals neglected personal hygiene resulting in wearing dirty clothes body odor bad breath neglected nails and teeth sores on the skin neglected their home so it is not as clean or sanitary as you remember growing up exhibited inappropriate behavior by being unusually loud or quiet paranoid agitated making phone calls at all hours changed relationship patterns such that friends and neighbors have expressed concerns had physical problems such as burns or injury marks resulting from general weakness forgetfulness or possible misuse of alcohol or prescribed medications decreased or stopped participating in activities that were previously important to them such as bridge or a book club dining with friends or attending religious services exhibited forgetfulness resulting in unopened mail piling newspapers not filling their prescriptions or missed appointments mishandled finances such as not paying bills losing money paying bills twice or more or hiding money made unusual purchases such as buying more than one magazine subscription of the same magazine entered an unusual amount of contests increased usage of purchasing from television advertisements information references "10 warning signs" 2010 available at www eldercare gov

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Categories: Sage, Topic, Caregiver Needs&Support, Maintenance, Medical Physical, Mobility, Needs Some Assistance, Needs Much Assistance, Independence, Some Supervision, Maximum Supervision

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Keywords: Home care weight loss dirty house not paying bills hoarding neglect falls injury

*This information is listed as a Fact Sheet and is not explicitly medically licensed