If you have aging parents, you need to do everything in your ability to ensure that they are taken care of, and they are comfortable. The importance of taking care of them cannot be understated. They brought you up and saw that your needs were catered for in all the years you were under their care. So, it is decent to ensure that they are comfortable and their lives are blissful during their sunset years.
Caring for your parents isn’t simply providing material things. You need to ensure that their emotional and mental well-being are catered for. Studies suggest that anxiety increases with age. Thus, the need for physical and emotional care for your parents is paramount.
The truth is that as parents age, their behavior patterns, physical strength, and psychology change. They become more unstable and need to be in healthy environments. According to research, most adult children prefer their parents to age at home instead of at a professional senior care facility. While people have different preferences of how they want their aging parent’s taken care of, this article will unpack several ways how you can keep extra care for them when staying together or apart.
1. Prepare Them for Change
Change is inevitable, and so is aging. Many changes occur as your parents age, and sometimes you don’t understand how these changes greatly impact your life or family. So how do you beat this menace? Having a meaningful conversation with your parents about their expectations as they age will be helpful. Ask them about their fears, wishes, and goals. That way, you can have clarity and guidance in preparing to have them taken good care of.
If you must build your parents a retirement home, understand that moving and adapting to a new environment is hard. Prepare them adequately and early enough for the relocation. Remind them regularly that they will be safe and have a safe community there. Interestingly, considering retirement communities will save the extra cost of maintaining a home.
Again, as your parents age, they stand a high chance of developing some health conditions that will force them to change their lifestyle, from what they eat to other essential products. Conditions like urinary incontinence require your parents to use disposable bed pads to absorb urine or stool. That’s one way to promote their independence and prepare them for change. Make sure you teach them how to use the product early in advance. Don’t wait for that time to come.
2. Involve Family and Close Friends
Taking care of your aging parents can be overwhelming. The caregiving responsibilities are tiring if you choose to do it alone. So, it would be expedient to invite your senior siblings or relatives to help you. The help may come in different forms. For instance, your sister may offer to take turns in living with your parents or come to your house regularly so that you can have a break. You can also hold fundraising events occasionally to raise money that will come in handy to cater to their needs.
Sometimes you will have burnout, and you put your health at risk. If you are not living with your parents, you may not be able to visit and check how they are doing daily. Ask your close friends to drop by your parents’ home to do that on your behalf. That way, you will have peace of mind.
Photo courtesy pexels.com
Photo courtesy pexels.com
3. Access, Monitor Their Needs, and Give Support
Many times when parents age, what follows is retirement, and they are not able to work. As a senior adult, you have no option but to settle their needs. However, demands to cater to these needs can be overwhelming if you are still trying to figure out what to do exactly. Also, you can only satisfy their needs if you are fully financially stable. It would be best if you had a good plan to achieve that. Therefore, you must establish criteria to access these needs. Make a list of preferences and establish priorities.
Medical needs, meal plans, and finance are common needs that many senior adults must assess for their aging parents. Make sure you write down the needs in order of their urgency. That way, you can sort out the needs more efficiently and keep track. When you satisfy one need, indicate it on a checklist so that you can attend to the other pressing needs.
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4. Keep Them Engaged and Connected
Caring for an aging parent can be difficult for a senior adult if you live in a different area. However, technology has made communication easier, and you can talk to your parents anytime, provided you all have a stable network. All you need to do is get your parents a communication gadget such as a smartphone, and you can call them. Suppose your parents are not computer literate, worry not. When you visit them, use that time to bond and teach them how to use the phone to join a video call or zoom meeting.
Additionally, if you plan to have your parents stay at a retirement community, ensure they are active. Let them attend events that excite them. For instance, attending religious and social functions will have them engaged. Therefore, the risk of having chronic depression resulting from loneliness is reduced.
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5. Look Out for a Caregiver
Getting a caregiver is an excellent way to care for your aging parents if you don’t live with them. Caregivers will help you navigate various tasks. Their roles range from buying groceries and bathing to helping in physical therapy, injections, and medication. When you hire a caregiver, you are assured that your aging parents are in safe hands, giving you peace of mind and relieving stress. You don’t have to visit them daily; you get time to attend to your family’s needs.
Wrapping Up
Understanding how to care for aging parents can be challenging if you are not staying with them. Most of the time, you are worried if they are safe, which can be stressful. You always want to ensure they are happy and comfortable in their space. However, don’t lose yourself when attending to them. Make time to relax and take care of yourself. The above tips will help you prepare adequately to take care of your aging parents.
