Four Clues that Your Senior’s Vision Is Changing

Vision changes aren’t always something your senior realizes are happening immediately. Vision can change slowly over time until it gets to be a serious issue for your senior and her safety. But how can you tell that your elderly family member might have trouble seeing well?

You’re Noticing She’s a Little More Clumsy

When your senior’s vision is not working as well as it used to, walking around and avoiding obstacles becomes a little more difficult. You might notice it at first as your senior suddenly seeming to be more clumsy than usual. Or you might see that she’s relying on handrails more often, especially in unfamiliar places. If she’s reaching for objects and missing them more often than not, that can be related to vision problems as well.

Food and Drinks Are Posing Some New Problems

If your elderly family member isn’t able to see well, that can be giving her problems with eating and drinking, too. First off, she might not be able to see her foods very well. That might not seem important at first, but if the visual appeal of food has always been important to her, she might not be eating as much or as often as she used to eat. The second big indication of vision problems can be that your senior might be spilling more food than usual.

Her Hobbies Have Changed

Many of the hobbies and activities that your senior finds entertaining might involve her vision. As her vision starts to worsen, she may very well stop engaging in those activities that she loves. She might start switching out reading for listening to audiobooks, for instance. If she isn’t doing the things that she loves and she hasn’t replaced them with a substitute activity, she might be at risk of developing depression without fully realizing the cause.

You’re Noticing Small Changes

There are so many little changes that can pop up because of vision difficulties that they might be difficult to spot. Your senior might have burned out bulbs that she doesn’t change, for instance. That can happen when she doesn’t realize how dim the room is without those lights. Or there might be other changes, like worsening handwriting or a much more creative wardrobe than usual.

Your senior’s vision affects much more of her life than either of you might realize. It helps to have someone else who can spot some of these subtle signs. Senior care providers, for instance, can help you to see some of these indications so you can talk with your elderly family member’s eye doctor about what’s going on.

IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING SENIOR CARE IN NORWALK, IA, FOR A SENIOR LOVED ONE, CONTACT GOLDEN HEART SENIOR CARE OF DES MOINES, IA AT 515-631-5033. OUR CARING STAFF CAN ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS!