Heading home for the holidays? This time of year is often when adult children notice changes in their aging parents that aren’t apparent during quick visits, phone calls, or FaceTime. If you’re spending extended time together and find yourself wondering whether Mom or Dad may need added support, you’re not alone.
Here are five helpful signs—as simple steps you can take if you notice them—that your aging parents may need respite care:
Unopened mail on the counter, late payments, confusion about appointments, or household tasks left undone may signal cognitive changes, stress, or that everyday responsibilities have become too much.
Try This: Help sort mail, set up autopay, simplify paperwork, or create a shared calendar.
When Extra Support Helps: If these patterns persist, outside support—or even a short-term, supportive stay—can help your loved one regain routine and structure while your family explores what’s needed.
A slower gait, holding onto furniture, struggling to rise from a chair, or recent falls can indicate increasing weakness or balance issues.
Try This: Remove tripping hazards, add night lights, and install grab bars in key areas.
When Extra Support Helps: A temporarily supported environment provides professional oversight and 24/7 assistance to keep your loved one safe.
Expired food, empty refrigerators, or signs that meals aren’t being prepared consistently may result from forgetfulness, low appetite, or difficulty managing grocery shopping and cooking.
Try This: Cook or shop together, prep meals in advance, or consider meal delivery services.
When Extra Support Helps: In a supportive setting, older adults benefit from regular, nutritious meals, which help them rediscover energy and routine.
Misplacing important items, changes in grooming, withdrawing from social activities, or getting confused while driving or navigating familiar places can be early signs of cognitive decline or depression.
Try This: Open gentle conversations, encourage a check-in with their healthcare provider, and ask about what feels harder lately.
When Extra Support Helps: Structured days and meaningful activities—like those offered in Memory Support or Assisted Living—can provide clarity for families exploring long-term options.
During holiday outings, especially at night or in heavy traffic, observe reaction time, confidence, and comfort. Anxiety or hesitation behind the wheel can be significant safety indicators.
Try This: Explore ride-share options, volunteer driver programs, or coordinate transportation within the family.
When Extra Support Helps: In a supportive community setting, transportation needs are minimized, allowing residents to enjoy meals, programs, and activities without relying on driving.
If you’re noticing changes, approach your parents with empathy. Helpful starter questions include:
Listen without judgment and focus on safety, comfort, and independence.
For many families, the holidays create a natural moment to step back and notice what aging parents may truly need. While every situation is unique, short-term respite care can be a gentle, low-pressure way to introduce care outside of the home as it allows older adults an opportunity to experience support, community, and structure without a long-term commitment.
A respite stay allows your loved one to benefit from daily routines, prepared meals, and meaningful engagement, while giving families clarity about what kind of care may be most helpful moving forward.
A short-term stay can offer:
If this holiday season raises questions about what comes next for your loved one, you don’t have to navigate those decisions alone. Whether you’re considering a short respite stay, exploring Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing, or Memory Support, or simply trying to understand what level of support might be most appropriate, our professional and licensed staff are available to visit with you and help begin the conversation.
We’ll walk alongside you, answer your questions, help assess needs, and guide you toward the next step that feels right for your family.
If you’d like to talk through options or schedule a conversation with our team, contact us today. We’re here to help you and your loved one every step of the way.
Justine Ogden
jogden@villageshalom.org
913-266-8209
Lori Carter
lcarter@villageshalom.org
913-266-8300