Circle of love: A guide to caring for your ageing parents

Hello everyone!

Your parents are the sole reason that you’re in this world, and there’s a good chance that they helped shape the person you are today. Parents do so much for their children as they grow. Not only are they parents, but they take on the roles of maids, banks, drivers, best friends, chefs and much more. Once you’re an adult and can look after yourself, you may notice that your parents need a little help with things they used to be able to do solo. 

Unfortunately, that is the circle of life, and it’s now time for you to become the caregiver and give everything back to them that you can. So, let’s take a look at how you can give back to your parents to show them how much you love and appreciate everything they’ve ever done for you.

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Spend time with them

Sometimes, simply spending time with your parents to show how much you love and appreciate them is enough. Part of the circle of life is that you would give anything to your children as long as they are happy and healthy. The same goes for your parents. Make the most of your time together and never leave anything on a bad note. Life is way too short to fall out.

Help with daily activities

The first sign you’ll notice if your parents are struggling is that daily activities are becoming increasingly harder for them to do. While it’s important not to take away their independence, you should make an effort to visit every day if possible and give them a hand with small jobs around the house so that the housework doesn’t mount up. It’s an easy and simple way to give back to them.

If however, they are really struggling with self-care and hygiene, you might be considering moving them into your home so that you can give them a hand throughout the day. It could be extra peace of mind for you too, knowing they have eaten well and are not at any risk to themselves.

Include their opinion

Now that your parents are living with you, they may feel like they’ve lost control of their lives. However, you can help to make them feel included by asking their opinion on household affairs and also decisions about their care. Without doing this, you may notice that their mental health begins to suffer as they feel like they aren’t in control of making any changes in their life. In turn, they may view you as meddling in their lives. 

Offer them advice and your opinions as delicately as possible, and always wait for a response with every suggestion to see how they feel before taking any action on anything to do with their care.

Get them the best care possible

There may come a time when your parents are unable to do anything for themselves properly, and you may be considering putting more time in to contribute to their care. If you’ve got the dilemma of other commitments in your life, such as your own children or work responsibilities, then you should look into caregivers for hire in your area to provide you with some respite from their care.

Even if you don’t have other commitments, taking care of someone full-time can be very demanding, particularly if they have Alzheimer's disease and struggle with their memory, you still may want to consider getting some respite care so you can have some time to rejuvenate. If you’re exhausted, you’re not going to be able to give them the care or patience they need. 

Manage their finances

Having extra people in your home will mount the costs for you and your family, so now is a good time to estimate any future costs before they move in to make sure it’s the best idea for your family. Caring for them yourself will be less costly than if you were to send them to an assisted living facility or even a care home. Bear in mind that you may need equipment in your home to help with mobility. Or, if they get sick, you may need other equipment such as oxygen tanks to help them breathe easier. Sit down with your parents and assess their finances and how they can pay for things around the place. While you don’t need them to pay rent, they can contribute towards the food they consume and any other needs they may have. Money talk can quickly turn sour, so approach the subject sensitively and talk about their finances and how they can help.

Thank you for reading, and until next time, take care.