Harford The Caregiver's Toolkit

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10 T H E C A R E G I V E R ’ S T O O L K I T
CHAPTER 1
EXPLORING CHALLENGES
Does My Loved One Need Help?
Growing health concerns:
☐ Experiencing new or serious health concerns
☐ Seems ill more frequently
☐ Taking much longer to bounce back from illnesses
☐ Showing signs that they are not
taking medication properly
Injuries and/or falls:
☐ Experiencing more frequent falls
☐ Increasing number of other injuries,
such as bruises, cuts and/or burns
Changes in personality:
☐ Noticing severe mood swings,
agitation, depression, outbursts
☐ Noticing withdrawn or paranoid behavior
that is atypical
A change in personal hygiene:
☐ Failing to bathe, not brushing their teeth/dentures
☐ Hair is uncombed or unclean
☐ Clothes are soiled
☐ Noticing body odor
Decreased mobility or increased frailty:
☐ Having increased concerns with balance
and mobility
Seeing changes for the worse in the wellbeing of a loved one is never easy.
Sometimes it is easy to miss these changes because they can be so gradual, and at other times,
the change may seem so out of the ordinary that it is easy to excuse it as an “off day.” So how do
you tell when there is cause for concern? What are the red flags? The following are warning signs
to keep in mind as you assess your loved one’s needs:
A change in interpersonal relationships:
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☐ Isolating themselves from others
Other changes in appearance:
☐ Experiencing weight loss
☐ Skipping meals
☐ Experiencing lack of appetite or other
significant changes in eating habits
A change in social interactions:
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☐ Disinterested in things that they
once looked forward to doing
Financial concerns:
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☐ Large unexplained withdrawals
or expenditures
☐ Money is missing or hidden
around the home
Forgetfulness:
☐ Frequently forgetting or
mistaking medications
☐ Missing appointments
☐ Money is missing or hidden
around the home
Harford County Department
of Community Services
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Helpful Links: