What to Look for When Evaluating Seniors' Mental States

If possible, talk to your loved ones' doctors about screening them for conditions such as depression and predementia. In your own interactions with them, watch for memory loss, uncharacteristic quickness to anger, changes in sleep habits, lack of interest in things they previously enjoyed, and inability to keep up with basic self-care -- like not getting dressed all day.

Social connectedness is another important indicator of mental health. If you're not sure whether your elderly loved ones are becoming socially isolated, try this quick test: Throw them a birthday or anniversary party and ask them to compose the guest list. If they can't come up with more than a few people -- and they lack social activities that get them out of the house regularly -- these may be indicators that they're becoming socially isolated.

The bottom-line check: Are they happy living independently? If they're riddled with anxieties or increasingly lonely, that may tip the scales toward a move that may not be 100 percent necessary for physical health and safety reasons. On the other hand, if they have a full life, close neighborhood, and community connections, or they simply enjoy being at home, it's worth exhausting every option before trying to push them to move out of the home they love.