DEAR ABBY: My mother-in-law has a habit that initially family members thought was funny but now is making us anxious and concerned. When we eat in a restaurant, she insists on having a tablecloth or placemat where she is seated.
If the restaurant is "family oriented," she will ask for napkins and create her own placemat before she is served her meal. If the restaurant is more formal, she will call ahead and inquire about a tablecloth. If they don't have linen tablecloths on each table, she will request that they provide one for her.
She seems to be getting more obsessive and demanding about this "quirk" as time goes on. Should we be concerned? -- ANXIOUS IN TEXAS
DEAR ANXIOUS: Ask your mother-in-law why she seems to be concerned about this, and if her answer is that she is germ-phobic, ask her to explain why her concern is escalating. She may be concerned that the table may not have been properly sanitized after a previous patron coughed, sneezed, etc., and that she'll pick up a virus.
Should you be concerned? Yes, if her behavior is becoming bizarre about other things, too. Any abrupt change in an older person's behavior should be mentioned to her (or his) health care professional.