Holidays are a Good Time to Assess How Your Elderly Parents are Faring

If your family is like many Americans, you're likely to get together at some point during the holiday season. Here's a task you should try to fit in between all the eating, drinking and merry-making: checking up on older relatives to see how they're faring. Even if they insist that everything is OK, you should look into these four key areas to see if there's something they need that perhaps they don't even realize: 

Their Home

Look around your loved ones' house or apartment to see if it meets their needs as they age. Can they still safely manage the stairs, or would a chair lift make that easier?  Would they be better off in their living quarters were all on one level?

See also: Are your parents' driving skills still sharp?

Holidays are a good time to talk to aging parents about their well-being. — Jose Luis Pelaez Inc/Blend/Getty Images

Are you concerned about such things as dark stairs, loose rugs, clutter or fire hazards? Would brighter lighting and clearer passageways help? Use the checklists at www.aarp.org/homedesign/ to help determine what they might need.  

Is there a bath on the ground floor and a room that could become a bedroom if necessary?

Could their home be made more convenient with simple modifications, such as easier to use handles and switches, pullout cabinet shelves, a comfort-height toilet or walk-in shower?

If you've answered yes to these questions, talk to family members about addressing the situation.

Their Ability to Drive

If your older relatives are still driving, ride with them and observe their behind-the-wheel skills. Are they having close calls?  Are there dents or dings on the car or garage? Do they drive too slow or miss signs or signals? Do they have difficulties at intersections?  Have they gotten warnings or tickets?

These are a few signs that it might be time to talk about limiting driving or hanging up the keys.  

Look around their community to see what alternative transportation options exist for shopping, medical visits, religious services and visits with family and friends if driving becomes too risky.

Next: Do your parents have new health and financial issues? »