BREVARD COUNTY — As the holidays are winding down, you may have noticed something a little bit different after spending time with your older parents.
Perhaps mom or dad seem a little forgetful about names or placement of items, or their appearance has changed since the last time you saw them in person. These may be red flags for Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, and they are some common questions brought up when people reach out to organizations like Seniors Helping Seniors of Brevard County (SHS).
“Every holiday brings that out but especially Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years, people travel more to see family,” said Jennifer Barton, a Certified Dementia Specialist and owner of SHS. “We see an uptick in phone calls after the holidays because it’s easy for the parents during a phone call to say, ‘Oh, I’m fine, everything’s great,’ and they can get away with an, ‘Oh, what’s his name.’ Once the family comes down to visit, they see things that make them hesitate.”…