Watching your parents grow older can be an emotional experience. They’re the ones who took care of you when you were younger. They gave you strength when you were weak and encouragement when you were feeling insecure. They offered you the perfect balance of gentle kindness and tough love. They saw you through numerous trials and celebrated with you through just as many victories.
Because of all that, you want to give them all the love, care, and support they need as they age. How do you do that, though? Most people don’t quite know where to start. As elderly parents’ needs grow and change, staying on top of them can be increasingly difficult if not impossible for many people. From enabling your parents to maintain their independence for as long as possible to planning for long term care, the following tips can help make things simpler.
Keep the Lines of Communication Open
One of the most effective ways to support your aging parents is to talk to them. Ask them what they need you to help with and how you can support them. In trying to help their parents, many people inadvertently overstep their boundaries. That can place unnecessary strain on your relationship and leave your parents feeling powerless over their own lives.
At the same time, talking to them about their needs and goals can help you develop a plan for taking care of them both now and moving forward. It’ll give you opportunities to prepare in advance for their changing needs as well. Maintaining open communication with your parents can help you give them the level of care they need without infringing upon their freedom and dignity.
Focus on Both Physical and Mental Health
It’s also important to focus on both your parents’ physical and mental health. It easy to get caught up in taking care of loved ones’ medical concerns and physical needs. In doing so, people often forget to pay attention to the mental and emotional effects of aging. Those can include feeling lonely and isolated. Many elderly people experience anxiety over finances or how much their health could decline in the years to come. They may feel as though they’re not in control of their lives. Those are only a few of the possibilities.
Watch for signs of anxiety, depression, and other conditions, and address them if needed. Intervening as early as possible will minimize the effects of mental health issues. Beyond that, physical and emotional health are closely interconnected, and paying attention to both will help keep your parents healthy and happy from multiple angles.
Consider Assisted Living
Transitioning your parents to assisted living is another way to support them as they age. Assisted living communities offer all the services and support their residents may need to keep them safe and healthy. They provide customized care and as much or as little assistance with activities of daily living as their residents needs. They also provide housekeeping, laundry, and many other services to create stress-free lifestyles for their residents. Furthermore, they plan activities and social events to keep residents active and social.
Helping Your Parents Live Well as They Age
Watching your parents grow older isn’t easy, and trying to provide all the support they need can be overwhelming if not impossible. Maintain open lines of communication to better understand what they need, and develop a plan accordingly. Focus on their overall well-being rather than just their physical health. Consider alternatives like assisted living to ensure all their needs are met. Along the way, be sure take care of yourself, and don’t try to cover all of your parents’ needs on your own.
