ST. LOUIS (KMOX) – Your holidays with an aging parent may have left you concerned.

“Something happened over that visit that they finally picked up that mom is getting frail and might need some help,” says Ann Bannes, vice president of St. Andrews Resources for Seniors.

Bannes says the holidays are often the time she gets calls from children concerned about their parents’ well-being. “Do you see bills piling up? Is it more cluttered than you remember? How is mom or dad’s personal hygiene?” She says those are all indications it’s time for a conversation with your parent about their needs.

Bannes says if a family can afford it, it’s helpful to hire a care manager to do an assessment. “You really need someone to go out and do an assessment of the whole home environment, the physical health of persons, the psychological, emotional and cognition, the family support systems.” She adds that often, families either want to do too much or not enough.

Bannes says that care managers can offer options for care and then monitor care — especially if mom or dad live some distance away.

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