How to Care for Your Aging Parents

Hello World!  Welcome Friends!  When you’re little, your parents are like gods. Your entire existence depends on them. As you get older, everything changes. The natural roles are reversed. Suddenly, you’re the strong one providing care. From looking after their well-being to researching healthy diet for seniors, the list continues to grow as you encounter the obstacles of taking care of your aging parents.

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It’s a very difficult transition. Even the strongest relationships can be tested. However, you can’t avoid making these decisions. By the time your parents need your help to survive, they’re probably battling serious health problems, some more common than others that require assistance, such as memory care.

Navigating this part of life is tricky, but it can be managed with extensive plans.

Here’s what needs to happen.

Watch the Signs

Your parents’ cognitive abilities may decline as they as age. They may not realize it’s happening. Small signs like increased forgetfulness or declining mobility can be hard to notice if you’re in the thick of it. Gradual loss of hearing in both ears is also a common problem linked to aging. In most cases, hearing aids for seniors work and they are the best solution for senior hearing loss.

If you start to notice something wrong, take notes. Keep observing. You might be tempted to ignore the problem and pretend that it’s not happening. Unfortunately, this will only work temporarily. Any problem you find is bound to get worse.

Discuss Finances

Finances are often the elephant in the room. Nobody wants to talk about it, but your parents’ financial state will determine what can be done for them, and establish whether the more expensive aspects (such as this benchmark Norwood community or another similar home) can be afforded. Do they own their home? Have any assets? If they do, they can enter retirement in comfort.

If your parents don’t own anything and don’t have a nest egg socked away, leaving the workforce will be much more complicated. You’ll have to figure out a creative plan. Fortunately, the situation is never hopeless. There’s Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, etc.

Your parents may be highly resistant to discussing their finances with you. After all, you’re their child. Try to explain that you’re only concerned with their welfare.

Part of the financial discussion includes their will. It’s a good idea to make sure that everything is in order. It also includes their end-of-life plans. Planning for seniors needs to include this key piece in order to prevent the financials from falling on their loved ones.

Make a Plan

Once you’re clear on the financial situation, you can start to formulate a plan. Will your parents be able to live independently or will they need in-home care? Will they remain in their house or move to a facility?

Unfortunately, you don’t have much choice in most of these questions. The amount of care that your parents will require depends on their health.

If the moment comes when they need to move into an assisted living or nursing home facility, it’ll be easier if you have a location scouted in advance.

According to a nursing home abuse lawyer Springfield IL: “Nursing home residents are some of the most vulnerable persons in society and the least equipped to defend themselves from abuse and neglect… Discovering that a loved one’s death or injury occurred as a result of abuse or neglect by nursing home staff is devastating. It can cause severe financial difficulties for children and grandchildren of the victims…”

You can greatly decrease the chance of this happening by choosing a reputable, well-reviewed facility. The costs are important but you should be wary of being lured by impossibly low prices. Quality care isn’t cheap.

Get Help

If you have adult siblings, they should be included in the planning. There may be other family members who want to be involved as well. End of life decisions affect the entire family.

It’ll be easier for you if you don’t have to carry the burden of figuring everything out on your own. Helping your parents transition to the final stage of their lives can be an emotionally draining experience.

If you don’t have family members who you can lean on, you can turn to your friends or a support group for help. Your physical and emotional well-being need to be taken care of as well.

Connect

Connect with your parents. Your relationship is changing but it still exists. This time with them is very precious.

You may have to find new ways to relate to them, especially if they have dementia. A support group can help you come up with ideas.

Ultimately, your goal is to make your parents as comfortable as possible. You may never be called on to take an active in their retirement. Even if they figure out the logistics themselves, however, you can still provide emotional support. Getting older is scary.

Let your parents take the lead in all of the discussions. You can provide gentle guidance if necessary. Once your parents know what they’re going to do, it’ll provide peace of mind to the entire family. Worrying about the future is extremely stressful. It can even affect your health.

Click the links below for any posts you have missed:

7 Things you Should Do to Prep your Home for Spring

How to Choose the Best Glass Table Top

Exterior House Painting Secrets

Glass Shower Door vs. Shower Curtain

Hair Loss Solution

How to Use Color Psychology in the Home

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Thanks for stopping by!  Have a wonderful day/night depending on where you are in the world!  Go with God and remember to be kind to one another!

Toodles,