Aging is a fact of life, we will all get old, whether we like it or not. As a parent, the chances are most of your time goes onto your children and home, and that’s perfectly normal. However, as your parents start to get older, it’s important to realize that they may need a little extra help taking care of themselves.
You may have moved out of home a long time ago and have a family of your own to take care of, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take the time to help your parents. To make this a little easier for you, below are a few ideas and suggestions.
Talk to them
The first step to helping your aging parents is to sit down and have a chat with them. This doesn’t have to be anything formal, just a natter about how they are and how they’re getting on. Ask them if they feel like they’re coping and whether they need any extra help. Don’t be upset if they seem offended; many people get upset when they have to start slowing down and getting extra help.
Just explain to them that as a child, they looked after you, so now you want to look after them. If for instance, mealtimes are becoming a struggle, perhaps you could encourage them to use a meal delivery service? Or say, for example, they’re finding it hard to keep up with the cleaning, it may be time for them to hire a cleaner. Whatever it is they need help with, be supportive.
Get their living conditions right
This may not be an issue right now but in time it’s something that you may need to think about. At some point or another, you may need to think about your parents living conditions. It may simply be a case of adapting their home, such as adding grab rails and a stair lift. However, it could be a case of them no longer being able to live alone. The answer to this could be getting them a nurse or it could be moving them to somewhere new.
Perhaps an assisted living facility could be a good option or a nursing home? Or maybe, you would rather they came and lived with you? If you do decide to move your parents into your home, perhaps building a granny flat in your garden could be a good idea? To find out more about the ins and outs of this, click here and read up. Whatever option you decide on, make sure to talk it through properly with your parents.
Encourage them to socialize
As they get older, a lot of people make the mistake of no longer making an effort to socialize. However, it’s important that your parents get out and about as much as possible. Staying in the house can make life incredibly boring and can lead to your parents feeling lonely and isolated. So it’s important to encourage them to spend as much time socializing as possible.
If you Google local senior clubs and events in your area, you should be able to find plenty of different activities and events for them to attend. There may even be a bus that comes around to collect and drop them off to different events and activities.
So there you have it, the best things that you can do to help your aging parents.
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