TAKING CARE OF THOSE THAT TOOK CARE OF US... Ten Changes in our Elderly Parents that Need Medical Attention

Holidays seem to beckon nostalgia. Every year memories of traditions, amazing meals, lights, decorations and family antics resurface. Naturally, our parents are in so many of these pictures, frozen in time in our minds when they are younger and stronger.

It is usually a slow transition to the day where parents need the help of their children, but more and more Americans find themselves in this role. Today 30 million families provide care for an adult over the age of 50, a number expected to double in 25 years (AARP). Some of us find ourselves in the “sandwich generation,” the name given to the generation of people who care for their aging parents while supporting their own children. According to the Pew Research Center, just over 1 of every 8 Americans aged 40 to 60 is both raising a child and caring for a parent.

There are challenges with this privilege and responsibility. These can include the busy lifestyle of most Americans today, geographically scattered families, and financial stress. Another common obstacle in caring for the elderly can be simply convincing them to see the doctor when necessary. Many seniors refuse to see a doctor when they should.

At Onword Therapy, we provide treatment to the elderly for cognition, communication and swallowing. It is often the adult children of these patients that first identify the problem. So many times we hear “Oh, they are just getting older,” when real medical attention is warranted. Here is a recent example: “Esther” is 78 and lives alone in her own apartment. Her daughter noticed that food was spoiling in her refrigerator and that her pill dispenser was sometimes full. She also noticed her mom was having word-finding problems when talking. Esther insisted that she was fine, but her daughter made an appointment with her doctor. Her doctor found that Esther had high blood pressure which was causing tiny strokes and confusion. She was prescribed medication and referred for treatment at Onword Therapy.

Her therapist instructed her in exercises and strategies for word finding, organization and memory. Because of her daughter’s observations, Esther is now healthier, safer and living more independently.

We are seeing these types of examples more and more often. As a clinician, my goal would be to offer guidance and support to these families. Here are a few tips to help identify signs of normal aging, as well as identify when medical attention and treatment may be needed with regard to cognition, communication and swallowing.

Normal age-related changes should not be a cause of concern. Episodes are mild and only occasional. They can include:

• sometimes forgetting a name

• taking a while longer to learn something new

• occasionally forgetting where something is (i.e. keys, wallet)

• sometimes being unable to think of the right word to use in a sentence

• coughing during a meal once in a while

However, when these problems interfere with the ability to carry on with normal day-to-day activities, it is time to take notice. When the difficulties reduce the ability to function independently, when they occur repeatedly and when friends and family begin to notice the changes, it is almost always a good idea to seek medical attention. Here are ten examples of changes that should not be explained away as “old age”:

• Preparing Food - cooking becomes overwhelming or is avoided

• Managing Finances and Medications

- missed bills or pills

• Personal Care - forgetting to wash or eat on a regular basis, avoiding laundry

• Driving - poor safety or forgetting how to find the way to familiar places

• Directions - unable to follow or provide accurately

• Word Retrieval - difficulty finding words several times a day

• Sense of Time - frequent confusion of days/date/year

• Speech - distorted, slurred or garbled

• Repeatedly asking the same questions - forgetting recent answer or direction

• Coughing - more than 3 times during or after a meal

It is important to remember that many changes in cognition, communication or swallowing are treatable, if not reversible. A shift in these areas can be caused by medication side effects, sleep disorders, high blood pressure, vitamin B12 deficiency, dehydration or bladder infection, and can be easily treated. Anxiety, depression, diabetes, heart disease, alcohol abuse, thyroid problems and malnutrition are other problems that can be fixed with the right medical attention.

This holiday season, take a good look at the elderly in your life. How are they doing? Are there changes in their thinking or communication? Is it happening more frequently or only once in a while? In this day and age, it is often left up to adult children to identify medical concerns with their parents. One way to help our elderly is to know more about normal aging, and to know when to seek medical help.

Nan Kennelly MS CCC-SLP Onword Therapy

1220 Main Ave, Suite 120

Fargo, ND 58103

P: 701.364.5433

F: 701.364-2256 www.onwordtherapy.com

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