The 65 and older generation in the United States has grown by over a third in the past decade. Between 2018 and 2019, it has grown by 3.2%.
If you’re someone who has aging parents, then you might wonder how to take care of them. While taking care of elderly parents might seem tough, there’s hope.
This article will go over how to take care of aging parents. Read on to discover all of these tips and tricks in order to make sure your parents are comfortable today.
1. How Much Care Do They Need?
When deciding between taking care of them yourself or home health care options, you’ll need to determine how much care they need. Create a list of monthly, daily, and weekly tasks to see what care is necessary.
This will also help you keep track of how much help they need at night, over the weekends, and during the day. In order to do this, keep a notepad and write down whenever your loved one needs help with different tasks.
2. Get Help
If you need to hire extra help, don’t feel guilty. Find the help you can afford if you feel overwhelmed taking care of all tasks.
Consider adult day programs for them to socialize with others around their age. Look into volunteers in the area who will spend time with your loved one. Buy caregiving supplies in bulk to save on extra trips to the store.
3. Assess Your Needs
When deciding whether or not you can take care of your aging parents on your own, think about your own health as well. Also, would they live with you or alone?
Consider your personality as well, if you have the one necessary to provide them care. Take into account your relationship with your parent, and if you’re willing to offer long-term care.
4. Include Your Parents
Involve your parents in the process whenever possible since it’s hard for them to lose control of their lives. That way, if you hire someone for their care, they won’t see them as a threat.
Speak with your parent about any questions they have before hiring someone. You can also ease into help by having a caregiver help them out with 1 or 2 tasks instead of many at once.
5. Use Assistive Devices
Whether far away or close by, consider using assistive devices to allow your loved one to still have independence. Have grab bars in the bath, shower, and toilet.
Shower chairs, motion-sensing water taps, and others are great options as well. Consider an alert monitor as well that they wear and can press if they fall. It’ll alert an emergency line when they press the button.
Caring for Your Aging Parents
Now that you’ve explored how to care for your aging parents, you should have a better idea of what to expect during the process. Would you like to read more health content? Check out our other articles on our site today!
