Caregivers: Check the Fridge for Clues about Your Loved One's Health

ThirdAgers involved in caregiving for an elderly family member or friend might want to make a "refrigerator check" as an indicator of behavior patterns.

Janet Beard, executive director of the not-for-profit Bethel Homes in upstate New York, says that when an elderly individual living at home begins to exhibit a certain pattern of behavior, that may be a sign it's time to consider a change in living arrangements.

Some basic checks include whether the person involved:

• Has an empty refrigerator, eats too little or eats the wrong food.
• Stays in nightclothes through the day, forget to turn lights on or off, absentmindedly leaves appliances on or appears apathetic and lonely.
• Neglects household chores, forgets to open mail and pay bills, is falling, tripping or breaking things.

"Many times, it's up to the children to make the determination and to think about ways to improve their parents' quality of life," Beard says.