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Red Flags for Adult Children Caregivers
by Debra Moore, Ph.D.

Some Red Flags That May Indicate A Problem
(adapted from Parent Care Survival Guide by Pritikin and Reece)

Your parent has gained or lost a great deal of weight.
She's eating more than usual but not gaining weight.
She's drinking a great deal of water.
She's wearing excessive or insufficient clothing for the weather.
She's neglected her usual standard of grooming.
She doesn't smell clean or has stains on her clothing.
She has bruises, burns, or other signs of injuries.
She scratches herself a lot.
She has an unusual growth on her skin.
Her skin coloring isn't normal.
The whites of her eyes look bloodshot or discolored.
She squints when reading or holds reading matter either very close or very far away.
She bumps into things or stumbles while walking.
She begins speaking too loudly or softly, or says others are mumbling or talking too fast.
She needs you to repeat things. She keeps the TV or radio on very loud.
She turns her head towards whomever is talking or cups her ear.
She coughs a great deal or is short of breath.
She sleeps propped up with several pillows.
She seems tired much of the time.
She sleeps more than usual during the day.
She can't sleep at night or routinely wakes up very early.
She moves more slowly than normal or with an unusual gait.
She has difficulty getting up from a chair.
She has difficulty driving or has caused an accident.
She limps.
Her legs are swollen.
She makes frequent trips to the bathroom.
She is neglecting to pay bills or making mistakes on them.
She doesn't seem to be interested in much of anything.
She acts nervous or distracted.
She's more antisocial or reclusive than usual.
She's drinking more alcohol than usual.
She's forgetting to take medications or taking too much.
She's forgetful, seems confused, or leaves things in odd places around the house.
She responds to questions with vague or incomplete answers.
She talks about feeling hopeless or about being better off not here.
She has unusual mood swings.
She is reluctant to leave home.
She has neglected cleaning the house.
She is not shopping and has less than the usual amount of food in the house.
She is angry at everyone.
She thinks people have been cheating her, stealing from her or talking behind her back.
She is frequently confused about the date or day of the week.

Basically, you are looking for changes. The time to get involved may be now.

Please read For Adult Children Caregivers

Dr. Debra Moore Dr. Moore is a licensed psychologist and Founder and Director of Fall Creek Associates. She is President of the Sacramento Psychological Association, adjunct faculty member in the School of Psychology at the Fielding Graduate Institute, teaches classes through The Learning Exchange, and frequently appear as a guest on public service programs having to do with psychology and emotional wellness. She has also written a newspaper column called Senior Wellness, which focuses on general psychology topics as well as those of special interest to senior readers. In addition to working with private clients, she welcomes the opportunity to disseminate information on psychology and mental health issues to the general public through her PsychPages website.

Last modified: January 31, 2003

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