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Aging parents: 5 warning signs of health problems

Concerned about your aging parents' health? Use this guide to gauge how your aging parents are doing — and what to do if they need help.

By Mayo Clinic staff

As your parents get older, you may want to make sure they're successfully taking care of themselves and staying healthy. When you visit your aging parents, ask yourself the following five questions. Then, if necessary, take steps to help your aging parents maintain their independence.

1. Have your aging parents lost weight?

Losing weight without trying could be a sign that something's wrong. For aging parents, weight loss could be related to many factors, including:

  • Difficulty cooking. Your parents could be having difficulty finding the energy to cook, grasping the tools necessary to cook, or reading labels or directions on food products.
  • Loss of taste or smell. Some loss of taste and smell is natural with aging, especially after age 60. In other cases, illness or medication contributes to loss of taste or smell. Your parents might not be interested in eating if food doesn't taste or smell as good as it used to.
  • Underlying conditions. Sometimes weight loss is a sign of a more serious underlying condition, such as malnutrition, dementia, depression or cancer.

2. Are your aging parents taking care of themselves?

Pay attention to your parents' appearance. Are their clothes clean? Do they appear to be taking good care of themselves? Failure to keep up with daily routines — such as bathing, tooth brushing and other basic grooming — could indicate health problems such as dementia, depression or physical impairments.

Also pay attention to your parents' home. Are the lights working? Is the heat on? Are the bathrooms clean? Is the yard overgrown? Any big changes in the way your parents do things around the house could provide clues to their health. For example, scorched pots could mean your parents are forgetting about food cooking on the stove. Neglected housework could be a sign of depression, dementia or other problems.

3. Are your aging parents safe in their home?

Take a look around your parents' home, keeping an eye out for any red flags. Do your parents have difficulty navigating a narrow stairway? Has either parent fallen recently? Are they able to read directions on medication containers?

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References
  1. Brownie S. Why are elderly individuals at risk of nutritional deficiency? International Journal of Nursing Practice. 2006;12:110.
  2. Eldercare at home: Weight loss and nutrition problems. The AGS Foundation for Health in Aging. http://www.healthinaging.org/public_education/eldercare/15.xml. Accessed Aug. 19, 2009.
  3. Mann NM, et al. Anatomy and etiology of taste and smell disorders. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 19, 2009.
  4. Eldercare at home: Problems of daily living. The AGS Foundation for Health in Aging. http://www.healthinaging.org/public_education/eldercare/20.xml. Accessed Aug. 19, 2009.
  5. Eldercare at home: Mobility problems. The AGS Foundation for Health in Aging. http://www.healthinaging.org/public_education/eldercare/21.xml. Accessed Aug. 19, 2009.
  6. Eldercare at home: Depression. The AGS Foundation for Health in Aging. http://www.healthinaging.org/public_education/eldercare/19.xml. Accessed Aug. 19, 2009.

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Nov. 13, 2009

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