How do I know if my dad needs help?

I live 500 miles away and my parents insist all is fine. Can you meet them and tell me what you think?

A “geriatric evaluation” involves meeting an elderly person, visiting at home, and assessing physical care needs, household problems, memory status, social connection, financial needs, and more.

Families find this study by one of our eldercare counselors very helpful. It enables us to then advise the elder and the family about services and financial benefit programs. We can help families communicate with each other about whether to introduce services and how to do so with caring and sensitivity.

“Service planning” includes listing problem areas for an elder and recommending helpful solutions and services. If requested, our eldercare counselors set up the services and facilitate communication with other agencies.

Elderly Services belongs to the Aging Life Care Association, formerly the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers.

For more information, contact Joanne Corbett, MSW, executive director of Elderly Services. Call 802.388.3983, or write to us at mail@elderlyservices.org.