When our parents start to get older, they are much more likely to need our help and assistance. It is hard to know just when and where to start lending a hand, and you can often be met with resistance from aging parents concerned about losing their independence.
In this quick guide, we’ve put together seven simple ways you can begin to support your aging parents.
Call Them Regularly
Staying in regular contact is an important first step. Your parents need to know you’re there if they need you, and that they are an important and valued part of your life. Even if you need to set a reminder to call your parents a few times a week or every other day, make sure you do so they know your help is there if they feel they need it.
Get Other Family Members Involved
As your parents age, their needs and demands will increase and it will quickly become too much for one person to take responsibility for. If you have siblings, or a partner, or children of your own, make sure you involve them and share responsibilities with them. If you have siblings that live far away, they can do their share by keeping in regular contact.
Image by Sabine van Erp from Pixabay
Act with Empathy
Many people who get older worry about their voice not being heard, or having their self-control and even their civil and human rights slowly taken away from them by well-meaning family members.
As people age, they start to feel physical and mental limitations that can be incredibly concerning to a person, so holding on to their right to self-determination and having a voice in decision making becomes very important to them. Whenever you are making choices that will impact their life and living conditions, make sure that their concerns and opinions are heard and discussed.
Keep Them Active
People can sometimes become isolated when they become older, and spend days or even weeks at their home, rarely leaving. Staying active is important at all stages of life, even in your older years.
This doesn’t mean going to the gym three times a week, but getting out and participating in activities. Many people can suffer mobility problems as they age, so an electric scooter from EWheels can be a wise investment. It can help your parents stay active and enjoy days out and social events.
Look for Potential Hazards at Home
You can prevent a lot of problems and even accidents if you take some time to look over your parent’s home for potential hazards or issues.
Some may compare this to ‘baby-proofing’ a home, but the issues to look out for are very different and will often depend on your parent’s mobility and abilities. Look for uneven flooring that may cause trips or falls, and think about adding handrails to bathrooms, hallways, and stairs to give them extra support when they need it.
Suggest Downsizing and De-Cluttering
This can be a very delicate issue, especially when it comes to housing. Many elderly parents still live in the family home that may well be too big for them. Large homes are expensive to maintain and heat, and stairs and longer distances between rooms can often create more opportunities for accidents and falls.
Carefully suggest changing locations to a safer, smaller home. This also creates an opportunity to de-clutter and make their home easier to clean and maintain.
Be Their Health Advocate
As we get older, we are more likely to experience health problems and chronic health issues. These can often be complex and their treatments can be confusing. It is important to be an advocate for your parents in doctor’s meetings and visits, taking notes and listening carefully and making sure your parents have the opportunity to ask their questions and voice their concerns.
As your parents get older their lives will slowly begin to place increasing demands upon your life. By taking just a few of these simple steps, you can reduce a lot of the stress and strain it places on all of you.
