Are your parents suddenly looking older?

There’s a new term for when you notice your parents suddenly looking older and more frail – it’s called “SLOMO.” Independent researchers, commissioned by The Live in Care Hub have identified that ‘Suddenly Looking Older Moment’. They’ve coined the “SLOMO” acronym to describe the worrying realisation that one in five (20.6%) people experience when seeing an elderly relative for the first time in a while. The realisation that your parents have aged often results in further family guilt and, especially where a parent or grandparent is now obviously struggling to cope, frenzied discussions on what on earth to do. They see adequate care as a terrifying time bomb for which few have made plans.

Dr. Freddy Gathorne-Hardy, from The Live-In Care Hub says: “We tend to be flooded from late November onwards with calls from families who have just seen, or started to think about, elderly relatives as they witness their increased frailty and declining abilities. In an ideal world they’d come to us for advice and personalised options long beforehand and can avoid the dreaded ‘Mum needs to go into a home’ default setting.”

“A residential home is definitely NOT the only choice and live-in care offers a life-enhancing, real alternative for all concerned.”

Further research from the Live-in Care Hub shows that 97% of people would prefer to remain in their own home as they age and with professional carers – you can. And it’s not only a preferable option – it’s also financially viable.

If you’ve suddenly noticed your parents looking a little more frail and in need of someone to live-in with them, or perhaps they just need someone to pop in to make sure they’ve taken their medication, we’d be happy to help. Don’t hesitate to get in touch or give us a call on: 01908 183 4648 .