As parents age, it becomes increasingly challenging to assist them with everyday tasks and responsibilities. While it is never easy to accept that your parents are becoming elderly and require more care and monitoring, it is important to remain as a vital source of mental, emotional, and physical support as they continue to grow older. Understanding some of the best options available to help your elderly parents with managing their health is a way to provide proper care for your loved one while gaining peace of mind knowing that you are doing all that you can to assist them.
Discuss Your Willingness to Help Your Parents
Sit down and have a discussion with your parents about your willingness to help manage their health and their current way of life. Express how much you care for and love your parents, allowing them to feel supported and cherished. Inform your parents that you do not want to limit their independence, but help them navigate through various areas of their life that may become more difficult with age and depending on any medical conditions, diseases, or ailments they struggle with personally.
Avoid communicating with your elderly parents in a way that may be perceived as confrontational, controlling, or condescending, especially if your parents still prefer doing everyday activities and chores on their own (and have the physical ability to do so without issue).
Help Manage and Organize Medications
Offer assistance with organizing and managing the medications your parents are required to take. Purchase medication organizers and create a list of each medication along with their purpose and the dosage necessary for your parents if they choose to administrate the medicine on their own. Frequently check the medication organizers you provide for your parents to verify that medication is being taken properly and within a timely manner.
Attend Doctor Appointments as an Advocate for Your Parents
Attend all doctor appointments as an advocate for your parents to discuss medical issues and medication possibilities with their doctors. Spend time researching any conditions, diseases, or ailments your parents are experiencing to feel more comfortable with and confident in discussions with the medical professionals you meet. Visiting the doctors with your parents is a way to show you care while ensuring they are receiving the proper care and treatment they need to live their lives to the fullest.
Ask your parents if they are willing to allow you to sit in on their doctor’s appointments before doing so without prior consent. Overstepping your boundaries is a quick way to cause rifts and strain between you and your parents, especially if they are strong-willed and stubborn when it comes to caring for themselves and living and independent life. Receiving confirmation of approval before seeing a doctor alongside a parent is highly advisable to ensure you are all on the same page as a family.
Provide Healthy and Nutritious Ingredients and Meals
One way to help manage your parents’ health is to purchase healthy and nutritious ingredients and meals for them each week. As individuals age, they often eat less than necessary and become increasingly picky with their food choices–leaving their bodies less than nurtured. Because you are their child, you likely have a keen understanding of the types of foods and ingredients they are most fond of, providing you with the opportunity to deliver prepared meals and ingredients they are most likely to use anytime they are in the kitchen.
Avoid choosing foods that are highly-processed and instead, consider preparing meals ahead of time for your parents to quickly reheat, especially if cooking or standing too long is a hazard for their health. Provide fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds to ensure your parents are receiving as many vitamins, minerals, and nutrients as possible in every meal.
Offer Transportation When Your Parents Need to Shop
Offer to drive or transport your parents whenever they feel the need to shop or spend time outside of the home. Elders require socialization and activity outside just as any other individual, which is why it is imperative to provide your parents with the ability to do so to prevent a decline in health. When elders are left alone for too long, they begin to feel depressed, isolated, and alienated from the outside world. Providing transportation to visit a local park, grocery shop, or even to see a local show is a great way to manage your parents’ health while also offering them new and exciting experiences at any age.
Consider In-Home Care for Your Elderly Parents
In-home care solutions are ideal for elderly parents who prefer to live independently but require a bit of assistance throughout their day. An in-home care provider is capable of helping with grocery shopping, meal prep, and even basic necessities such as bathing, laundry, and changing clothing. When your parents do not want to spend time in a nursing home, in-home senior care near me is an optimal solution to consider.
Seek Out a Medical Center That Focuses on Elderly Care and Assistance
Medical Centre Byron Bay is one medical center that provides a variety of services for elderly individuals in need of care and assistance in their everyday lives. Finding the right medical center for your elderly parents is one way to gain peace of mind while feeling reassured that they are receiving top-notch medical care throughout their elderly years. With the right medical center, relax knowing that your parents are being monitored and taken care of when it comes to their medications and any treatments they require.
Remaining strong and as a positive influence in the lives of your elderly parents is a great way to help them manage their health as they age. By incorporating your personal assistance and working with the right in-home and outpatient care facilities, ensure your parents are always taken care of even if you are not available 24/7. With the right resources and the moral support of your parents, make decisions that are ultimately beneficial to their current lifestyles and the future they desire for themselves.
