CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) – As families gather to celebrate the holidays, you might notice some older relatives not acting like they usually do. That could be sign of progressive health concerns.

“When we see people we haven’t seen in a while, we have an interesting perspective compared to maybe somebody we see every day,” Dr. Laurie Archbald-Pannone with UVA Health said Friday, December 1.

Dr. Archbald-Pannone says the signs of health declines center mostly around function.

“How is somebody doing in their daily life? How are they walking? How are they driving, taking care of themselves, taking care of things around the home?” the doctor said.

She says being more observant of your relatives’ physical and mental state is important. Specifically, the doctor says to be on the lookout for “furniture surfing”: “They’re walking and holding onto furniture as they go. That can be quite dangerous. Chairs aren’t built to do that, they can slip out from underneath us,” Archbald-Pannone said.

Additionally, she recommends having open conversation with loved ones about things you’re concerned about.

“For example, ‘I saw that you just stumbled in the hallway, is that something that you’ve noticed before?’ So allowing space for reflection and insight is an important way to help make these conversations more useful and meaningful,” Archbald-Pannone said.

Do you have a story idea? Send us your news tip here.

Copyright 2023 WVIR. All rights reserved.