It’s hard to watch your parents get older, because the older they get, the closer you may be to saying goodbye. But, the thing about this is that it makes you appreciate the time that you do have with them all the more, and that’s a wonderful thing to experience. It’s also at this time that they are going to need support more than ever, and as their children, if you have a good relationship with them, you can help.
Of course, you are not obligated to support them if you do not want to, but if you do, you’ve come to the right place. Perhaps you’re simply not sure what steps you can take to assist them in growing old in the best way possible, but that’s where we come in. Down below, we’re going to be taking a look at some of the things that you can do so you don’t have to panic anymore. Read on to find out more.
Helping Them Retain Their Independence
The first thing that we’re going to be looking at is helping them to retain their independence by helping them to stay in their own home. It’s more comfortable being in your own home, rather than having to move in somewhere else when you don’t want to, and if you want to help then doing what you can to make this happen is a great idea.
Depending on the living situation that they are in at the moment, you may need to make some adaptations to their home to make this happen. Handrails may become essential, and keep things at a reasonable height for them to reach.
If it’s true that the home they are in now isn’t suitable for them physically, but they are still able to live on their own most of the time, then you can look into things like senior apartments which allow them to retain the independence that they have, but also have others around. This is a good solution for those who are not ready to go into a care home, but can no longer stay where they are.
Visit Them As Often As You Can
As well as helping them keep their independence in their home, you should also try to make time to visit them as often as you can. We know that you’re busy, that you have your own life and things to do, but that doesn’t mean that your parents are no longer important. Just because you think they are not going anywhere, doesn’t mean that you should take this time for granted.
Even if you only have the spare time to pop in for an hour or so a couple of times per week, we’re sure that they would appreciate that, especially if they are on their own. Old people who live by themselves are generally more susceptible to things like depression, stemming from loneliness, which we know that you don’t want.
Encourage Them To Eat Well
A balanced diet is key to being healthy, and that’s the way that it is for every age. Whether you are old or young, you need to take care with what you are putting into your body, simply because you have to fuel it right if you want it to behave the way that you want. For example, you need to ensure that you are getting the right amount of vitamins and nutrients to keep your bones and muscles strong. This becomes especially important as you age, as your bones often struggle to keep up with what they used to be able to tolerate.
If you know that your parent(s) struggle with maintaining a balanced diet due to cooking, then perhaps if you have some time you could batch cook some meals and take them over. These can be frozen, and then taken out and reheated as and when necessary. It takes a lot of strain off of them, and you will know for sure that they are getting what they need from their diet, at least for one meal a day!
Take Them For Days Out
It’s always nice to go out and do things with the people you love, and your parents are included in this. Even as they get older, it will still be nice to take them out for walks in scenic areas, and other things that you enjoy doing together. If you have kids, then you can all go, making some wonderful memories as a family while you are still able to.
Sometimes this might be more difficult than others depending on their ability, but we’re sure that you can figure it out.
Go With Them To Doctors Visits
Finally, there may come a time when you need to accompany your elderly parents to the doctors for their appointments. This may be due to the fact they are no longer able to drive themselves places or you need to be there to take all the information in. If your aging parents struggle with memory loss then it might sometimes seem like you are running their life. They need reminding about appointments otherwise they won’t go. It might be a quick check up or a more thorough examination that they need. As you age, you will need to be checked for various cancers, have hearing screenings, and sight tests.
Make sure they attend and are always honest with how life is with the doctor or nurse that they see. They won’t be able to access any help if they pretend like everything is fine, this can be hard to see as your parents may be super proud people.
Hopefully you found this article helpful and it gave you some useful ideas on how you can help your aging parents. If they were there for you, then you may feel obligated to be there for them, however, life can be extremely busy. If you need to ask for extra help in looking after them, this is available for you. Remember, life is designed to throw hurdles your way. Dealing with them the best way you can ensures you don’t fall victim to stress and anxiety.
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