PRESENTER: Karen Phoenix, Project CARE Family Consultant, Western Piedmont Council of Governments

When adult children visit their aging parents who live on their own and/or who live at a geographic distance, visits “home” can provide bittersweet opportunities to observe and evaluate their parents’ abilities and challenges. Sometimes the signs of decline are clearly visible – a paper trail of late or unpaid bills, poor hygiene, a neglected environment, spoiled or minimal food in the refrigerator, or suspicious dents or scratches on the vehicle or garage door. Other times, the signs are less apparent – or perhaps we excuse them or don’t see them during the flurry of a holiday visit or time with siblings and extended family. What should we be looking for? What do we do when we see signs of neglect and decline?