<\/p>\n
(From left) Lucila Oblena, 99, pours herself a glass of Diet Coke while enjoying a light lunch with senior companion Dorothy Jones, 78, at Oblena\u2019s home in Dallas on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023. Dorothy Jones served as a volunteer through The Senior Source\u2019s Senior Companion Program, which matches elderly adults needing companionship with people 55 and older who\u00a0want to help.<\/p>\n
Juan Figueroa\/Staff Photographer<\/p>\n
Watching a parent or loved one grow older<\/a> often means navigating difficult decisions without a clear road map.\u00a0<\/p>\n Most\u00a0older adults want to remain in their homes<\/a> or communities as they age, but balancing a loved one\u2019s independence with concerns about their safety isn\u2019t always easy.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what North Texas families should know about recognizing when an older adult needs more support, how to reduce safety risks at home and accessing local caregiving resources.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \nHow do I know if it\u2019s safe for an older adult to live alone?\u00a0\n<\/p>\n Many older adults want to remain in their own home or community for as long as possible because they believe it offers the best quality of life, according to the state\u2019s strategic plan for aging<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n In Dallas, more than 150,000 residents are aged 65 and older, including more than 46,000 who live alone, according to the 2025 annual report from the Dallas Senior Affairs Commission<\/a>. According to the state\u2019s strategic plan for aging<\/a>, the number of Texans ages 60 and older increased by 48% while the state\u2019s overall population grew by 19% overall.\u00a0<\/p>\n Related: Residents aged 65 and older are fastest-growing population in the city<\/a><\/p>\n Families should watch for noticeable changes in an older adult\u2019s mobility or ability to complete everyday tasks, said Renae Perry, chief operating officer for The Senior Source. The Senior Source<\/a> is a local nonprofit that supports older adults and their families in the Dallas area through a range of programs, tools and services.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n The Senior Source encourages families to evaluate an older adult\u2019s instrumental activities of daily living<\/a>, which include everyday tasks that allow someone to live independently:\u00a0<\/p>\n Managing finances, including paying bills and banking. Sudden changes in an older adult\u2019s behavior, such as having trouble getting around or taking a fall, could be a sign they may need more help or may not be okay on their own. Any major changes, Perry said, should first be evaluated by a physician because other factors, such as infections or medication issues, can sometimes cause temporary cognitive changes.<\/p>\n Joy Hinkelman, executive director of The Wellness Center for Older Adults, said keeping up with preventative health screenings and maintenance can also assist in keeping older adults healthy and independent. The Wellness Center for Older Adults<\/a> is a local nonprofit that offers health services, counseling and social service programs for older adults and their caregivers.<\/p>\n How can older adults make their home safer?<\/p>\n Maintaining mobility is crucial in helping an older adult remain independent and live safely at home, Perry said, adding that small home modifications can make a significant difference. A\u00a0fall<\/a>\u00a0can lead to injuries that can jeopardize an older adult\u2019s independence.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Perry recommends families use The Senior Source\u2019s home safety checklist<\/a> to identify fall risks and other home safety hazards before an accident occurs.\u00a0<\/p>\n The checklist recommends simple changes that can reduce fall risk, including:\u00a0<\/p>\n Decluttering high-traffic areas like hallways or around kitchen counters.\u00a0 \u201cSolutions like that sometimes can help people prolong or continue to live at home longer,\u201d Perry said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Having a social network is also important to living independently, Perry said, especially for older adults whose family lives farther away. Caregivers can also consider using technology to monitor a loved one\u2019s health or offer medication reminders.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Depending on an older adult\u2019s needs, Perry said services such as in-home health care or assistance can also help someone continue living safely at home.<\/p>\n Related: Caring for elderly parents at home is about more than the culture of Hispanic families<\/a><\/p>\n \nWhat local resources are available for older adults and caregivers?\u00a0\n<\/p>\n Dallas-area families can find support through the city’s Senior Services<\/a> and the Dallas Area Agency on Aging<\/a>, which both help older adults access assistance programs and community services.<\/p>\n The Senior Source\u2019s caregiver support program<\/a> is open to caregivers of all ages across Dallas and Collin counties caring for loved ones who are 50 or older, Perry said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n One service offered as part of the program includes care consultations for caregivers, which Perry said can be especially helpful when multiple adult children have different opinions about how to care for a parent.<\/p>\n \u201cWe help families get on the same page when it comes to caring for a loved one,\u201d Perry said. \u201cIf a child is going to be in a caregiving role, they need to have some idea of what your wishes are.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n The Senior Source<\/a> also offers additional resources and classes for older adults, such as utility bill assistance, Medicare counseling and financial safety guidance.\u00a0<\/p>\n For older adults in Collin County and the surrounding areas, the Wellness Center for Older Adults<\/a> provides preventative health services for free or at a reduced cost for adults 55 and older, including blood pressure and blood sugar checks, ear cleanings and foot care. The center also offers health education for topics like fall prevention and home safety, as well as assistance with medication management.<\/p>\n \u201cTrimming and filing their nails sounds really simple, but it\u2019s very important, especially for our older adults that are diabetic,\u201d Hinkelman said. \u201cThose of us that are younger just take those things for granted.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Hinkelman said the wellness center was created after a nurse recognized a gap in affordable services for adults between age 55 and Medicare eligibility at 65.<\/p>\n The Wellness Center for Older Adults also runs a volunteer-based program, Project Independence<\/a>, that provides short-term, non-medical assistance to adults 60 years old or older who were recently hospitalized or had a decline in health. Services can include transportation to a doctor\u2019s appointment, errands and well-checks for six to eight weeks.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThis allows the loved one, the spouse or the child to not have to miss work after their loved one has been discharged from the hospital because they have a trusted, vetted individual that will transport their person where they need to be,\u201d Hinkelman said.<\/p>\n Families looking for additional support can find more information through theseniorsource.org<\/a> or wellnesscenteronline.org<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"(From left) Lucila Oblena, 99, pours herself a glass of Diet Coke while enjoying a light lunch with…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":374279,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[102,581,104,103,584,2244,132415,132416,430,859,17921,88032,87998,90335],"class_list":["post-374278","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-dallas","tag-dallas","tag-dallas-county","tag-dallas-headlines","tag-dallas-news","tag-health","tag-healthcare","tag-news-healthy-living","tag-news-public-health","tag-north-texas","tag-public-health","tag-service","tag-tp-dallas-fortworth","tag-tp-dallas","tag-tp-mental-health"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/374278","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=374278"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/374278\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/374279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=374278"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=374278"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=374278"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/p>\n
\nShopping for groceries and other household necessities.
\nPlanning and preparing meals.\u00a0
\nCleaning the home and doing laundry.
\nDriving or using public transportation.
\nTaking medications correctly.\u00a0
\nCommunicating by phone or other devices.<\/p>\n
\nChecking that rugs and runners stay put when walked on to avoid tripping.
\nAdding non-skid surfaces to a shower or tub.\u00a0
\nInstalling handrails in bathrooms and along stairs.\u00a0<\/p>\n