10 signs that your aging parent may might require help at home.

Following are 10 signs that your aging parent may might require help at home:

1. A change in appearance or condition of the home — If your parents never cared much about the house, the fact that it’s a little messier than usual might not indicate a problem. However, if the house was always spotless, a messy home may be a cause for concern. 
2. Clutter – Piles of magazines or clothing could be an indicator that an older adult needs more help.
3. Dirty or unkempt clothing – Lack of interest in appearance can be a sign of depression in a senior.
4. Unpaid bills – A pile of unpaid bills or correspondence is an alarming sign that could require a family caregiver to intervene immediately in the best interest of a loved one.
5. Fresh food replaced with junk food – A senior who loses interest in cooking sometimes resorts to junk food.
6. Spoiled food in the fridge or freezer – Spoiled food could be an early sign that a senior no longer has an appetite and is not eating properly.
7. Bugs or rodents in the home – An older adult who no longer can clean a home properly may be vulnerable to bugs and rodents.
8. Confusion – Disorientation could be a sign of dementia, a problem with a medication or another medical issue that needs to be assessed by a doctor.
9. Unfilled prescriptions – Forgetting to take their medications or cannot afford to refill them.
10. Spills on floors and countertops – Mobility problems – may no longer be able to clean up spills, reach high places to dust and change light bulbs, and bend under beds to take care of messes.