There comes a time when we have to give back to our parents and guide them through their final years just as they guided us throughout childhood: with patience, dedication, and kindness.

Date:   12/20/2017 5:27:31 AM ( 7 y ago)

There comes a time when we have to give back to our parents and guide them through their final years just as they guided us throughout childhood: with patience, dedication, and kindness. Some elders appeal to an assisted living facility, but others move in with their children or younger siblings. If the time to welcome your parent into your home has come, below are a few tips to help you with this new challenge.

1. Adjust your Space

Do you have any low-lit stairs? Are there any slippery bathroom surfaces? Are your children used to gather their toys or do they leave them on the floor? Are there any objects you can easily stumble on? Evaluate all potential dangers for your elderly parent and minimize the risks. Also, prepare for them a room downstairs, with a bathroom close to it, to reduce indoor walking distances and thus domestic accident possibilities.

2. Get Informed

Are you aware of your parent’s financial status, properties, and savings? Do you know about all the taxes and fees they have to pay? What about their insurances or health subscription? Don’t rely on your aging mom’s capacity to keep track of all this information. Investigating all the details might seem intrusive at first, but it will help you avoid unpleasant surprises in the near future.

3. Prevent High Medical Costs

Schedule your parent for an overall health evaluation and start keeping track of the evolution of his/her conditions and treatments. Also, consider improving your insurance in order to avoid big unexpected costs. For example, you might end up spending a few hundred dollars for an optical investigation, an eyeglasses prescription and a pair of specs, but if you have optical health insurance you will pay a small amount monthly and you won’t feel the financial burden once your mom or dad needs treatment.

4. Don’t Neglect Their Social Needs

Even if your aging parent is dealing with a deteriorating health or emerging dementia, that doesn’t mean you should only focus on their therapy. We are social creatures and human interaction greatly influences our well-being. If you are busy with job obligations or childcare, hire some temporary company or subscribe to a special center where you can take your senior for socializing programs. If your sibling is in fairly good health, pursuing a new hobby or volunteering for the community are great pastime options.

5. Take Care of Yourself

Though you owe a lot to your parents, suppress your superhero impulses of handling their needs. While it’s your duty to take care of them, you also have to keep a healthy lifestyle. Having time for your partner and friends is mandatory and if caring for your parent is taking over your life, hire some help. Also, advanced dementia or Alzheimer's are not conditions you can deal without specialized personnel, but it’s up to you if you opt for an institution or for somebody to come at your place everyday.

All things considered, having your senior parent move in your home can be quite challenging, but planning well for this change will help you manage the situation successfully and make your sibling feel loved and cherished.

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