5 Tips to taking care of your elderly parents

Taking care of your elderly parents is one of the kindest ways to give back to them. Imagine all the years that they spent taking care of us as children so that we grow up to be independent. All those years they spent nursing you as a baby, disciplining you as a child, and sending you to school to learn. Any loving parent would commit their lives to their children. They would work hard to provide their needs, and attend to us when we’re sick. Our parents were always there for us, guiding, teaching, and comforting. It’s only right to give them the due respect they deserve, not because they raised us up, but because we love them. Growing old is a part of life and any parent would love to be surrounded by love and care in last their remaining years on earth. If your parents are already in that old and fragile state, you want to show them how much you love and care for them. Here are 5 tips to taking care of our elderly parents that you should know:

1. Spend time with them

Spending time with your parents especially in their elder years speak volumes about your love for them. As they say, there’s no better expression of love than time. Don’t ever forget your parents even if you’ve already parted ways in your adulthood. Even if you already have a family of your own, it doesn’t change the fact that your parents were your first family. Show your love by spending time with them, twice a month, or once a week, as long as you spend quality time with your loved ones, they’ll appreciate it big time.

If your parents are still able to travel, go ahead and plan some sweet escapes with them. Go out of town every once in a while. Visit parks and go on a picnic with them. Talk to them always and keep your communications open.

2. Consider a caregiver

It can’t be helped that our parents would acquire some illnesses as they age. A lot of our elderly suffer from chronic diseases and would sometimes need a caregiver to attend to their needs. If a caregiver is not an option, nursing homes would be a nice idea too. Don’t be afraid of admitting your parents to such facilities, nursing homes can be fun. Especially if you don’t live together and cannot attend to their needs personally, a nursing home would be a sound choice for them. Just be careful in choosing one and make sure your parents are comfortable with the idea as well.

3. Be sensitive to their needs

Our parents may not always be vocal about their feelings so it pays to be extra observant and sensitive to their needs. This is especially important when dealing with health concerns. Always check up on them if you think they’re having difficulties with something. Whether it’s difficulty moving around, reaching places, or something else, it pays to know how they are feeling. Always ensure that their medical records are up to date. Perform standard check-ups and regular check ups as advised. And if they’re taking medication, don’t forget to take them regularly and on time.

4. Always be patient

It’s easy to snap at our parents when they’re being hard to deal with. But remember to always be patient towards them, as they were with you when you were growing up. Know that the elderly in general experience a slow down in body functions and would naturally be slow about most things. Their minds may be slower, their movements limited, their hearing impaired, their eyes blurred, their backs hunched, and many more. This isn’t the time to be annoyed at them. Rather, it’s the perfect time to show them how much you love them by helping them get up and move around.

5. Be supportive of them

Even if it sounds silly at times, be supportive of your parents when they want to do something. Of course, as long as it’s safe. If they want to try a new hobby, let them be. If your mother wants to try painting despite her tremored hand, allow her. If your father still enjoys gardening even at his age, let him do so and watch him along the way. We pay so much importance to trying new things out we’re young and able, but the same can also be applied to our elderly parents. As long it’s not going to hurt them, if it makes them happy, be supportive of everything they want to do.