As people age, they tend to need some assistance with taking care of everyday tasks. If you have aging parents, you may wonder how you can help them stay safe and healthy. Here are some ideas to consider when it comes to providing your mom and dad with the top-notch assistance they deserve.
Talk to Your Parents About Their Individual Needs
One of the best ways to find out about the challenges your parents are facing is to have an open, honest talk with them about it. Ask plenty of questions. For example, ask if they could use some help around the house, with transportation, or with meal preparation. If they have any kind of serious cognitive or physical problems, they may require help with personal hygiene and daily medication dosing as well.
Enlist Extra Family Support
If your parents are still able to live independently with only minor assistance, you and your other family members could take turns helping to meet their needs. Plan a meeting with all capable, willing family caregivers. Write down a list of all the tasks that need to be taken care of and split those jobs up among the various family members. You could either have each volunteer take on a specific job, or assign them to different days of the week.
Check Into Retirement Communities
Active seniors may prefer retirement communities to assisted living facilities. These communities often offer amenities such as a pool, spa, workout facility, and a full calendar of social activities and excursions. Some of them still serve meals and offer help with cleaning and laundry too.
Consider an Assisted Living Facility
If you and other family members are unable to provide the amount of help necessary, you may want to talk to your parents about moving into an assisted living facility. Do your research to find a place that’s specially designed to give senior citizens the best possible quality of life. Many of these facilities offer help with laundry, cleaning, and meals.
Check Into Home Health Care Services
If your parents could use extra help but want to stay in their own home, find out if they’re comfortable with a home health care service. You can hire someone to help with your mom and dad’s physical and social needs during the times when you’re unable to be with them.
Whatever type of support network you secure for your parents, make sure you’re choosing reliable people to care for them. Whether they stay at home or move to a new location, make sure their environment is as safe and secure as possible.
