We’d like to think of our parents as superheroes, but alas, they, like everyone else we love, are only human. As they age, they’ll require more help and support than they did when they were younger. As a responsible son or daughter, it’s your job to be there and provide the help they need to enjoy life to the fullest. This, of course, isn’t a full-time job — and that’s just as well, since if you have your own kids, then your time will be in short supply. Still, even small amounts of time and effort can go a long way. In this post, we’ll run through five ways that you can help your aging parents in their later years.
Check in Daily
Feelings of isolation and loneliness are an increasing problem among older people. Mostly, this comes down to a shift from their working lives, which saw them as actively involved in society on a daily basis, to living quieter lives at home. It’s not uncommon for people of retirement age to go longer than they should without speaking to other people. In today’s hyper-connected age, you can ensure this is never the case by checking in with a phone or video call on those days when you can’t visit in person.
Help With Health Management
It’s just a fact of life that people experience more health concerns as they age. The good news is that most of these health issues are easy to remedy, provided proactive steps are taken. Sometimes, aging people require a little bit of help to get the healthcare they need, especially for those issues that aren’t considered “urgent”, such as eyesight and hearing health. You could take them to see an optician, for instance, or go through the options of choosing hearing aids: OTC vs. prescription — these are things that can feel a little overwhelming to people if they’re going through the process alone, but become much simpler when there’s someone by your side.
Social Encouragement
As we mentioned earlier, one of the top complaints among older people is that they simply don’t see as many people as they used to. You can help this by, first of all, inviting them to all the events that you’re going to if possible. You can also encourage your parents to stay social with people of their own age. There are plenty of ways they can meet other people, including joining groups for games, hiking, or sports.
Quality Time
Finally, don’t forget the value of good old quality time! We’re all busy with our own lives, but there’s a lot of value in spending time with our parents in their later years. You could plan a trip, go to events, or just have a special dinner. It’s nice for everyone involved to both reminisce over the old days and also create new memories. So get thinking today, and see what type of activities you can get in the calendar in the coming months. It’ll be something that you both look forward to.
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