Spot the Signs this Christmas
When you spend time with Mum or Dad this Christmas, our checklist can help you notice whether they might benefit from a little support to stay independent.
Many of us cherish the chance to spend time with loved ones during the Christmas season. As parents and relatives get older, these visits can also provide a gentle moment to observe how they are coping at home. While enjoying the festivities together, it can be useful to notice any small changes that might suggest they would benefit from a little extra support.
To guide families with this, we have put together a simple checklist that can help you gain a clearer sense of how your loved one is managing day to day.
The checklist looks at important areas such as:
- Home safety
How they use appliances, manage stairs and ensure doors are locked - Scam awareness
Whether they are aware of potential scams and staying cautious - General health
If they are keeping up with medication, sleeping well, experiencing pain or losing weight - Personal hygiene
Whether their hair, nails and clothing appear clean and well maintained - Nutrition
If they are eating regular meals, drinking enough and keeping food in date - Home cleanliness
How tidy the kitchen and bathroom are, whether curtains are opened and whether bedding is being changed - Life admin
Opening post, organising appointments and staying connected socially
Additional areas worth observing include:
- Memory and signs of confusion
- Mobility and balance
- Changes in eating patterns
- Shifts in appearance or personal hygiene
- Mood and social engagement
Noticing a sudden shift in any of these areas may suggest that your loved one could benefit from a little extra support to maintain their independence. This checklist is intended to help you pause, reflect on what you are seeing and build a clearer picture of their general wellbeing.
At Home Instead, we often hear from families only once a crisis has already taken place. This could be a prolonged illness that results in reduced mobility or a fall that takes longer than expected to recover from. Events like these can leave someone who previously managed well needing several daily visits, which can feel like a big and unexpected adjustment. From our experience working with adults of all ages, we know that opening up a conversation about care earlier and introducing support gradually can help prevent situations from reaching this point.
Our Care Professionals are skilled at spotting changes and offering practical help. They can support consistent medication routines, notice mobility issues that may increase the risk of falls and suggest suitable equipment, promote healthy eating, assist with personal care and provide many other forms of day to day support. Even a few hours of help each week can make a meaningful difference and gently introduce the idea of having regular support in the home.
You can download the checklist at www.careconversations.co.uk or request a copy by emailing [email protected]
