Whether you live with your aging parents, follow their progress from across the country or reside nearby, there are a number of steps you can take to help them through their senior years. According to the Mayo Clinic, adult children should watch for signs of malnutrition, unsafe conditions in the home and forgetting important dates and duties. The decision as to whether to continue living in the home often depends on the adult child's willingness to manage his parent's daily life.
Step 1
Clear out the house so that your parents can navigate the rooms and hallways without risk. Move and store unnecessary furniture and collectibles. Install handles and bars in strategic locations such as the bathroom and kitchen. Remove scatter rugs and change the handles on sinks and tubs to make them more accessible. According to the National Institute on Aging, local and state agencies often can help you with expenses to make a home safer.
Step 2
Investigate your parents' finances so that you can take over the bills and pay for outside long-term care if necessary. Try to talk with your parents before any dementia sets in and request that you visit an elder care attorney together to get their finances in order. Some of the actions you need to take include setting up signing rights on their accounts, drawing up a power of attorney and healthcare proxies. Find out how much savings and investments they have on hand.
Step 3
Cook with extra fat and flavoring if you notice your parents losing weight. According to the Mayo Clinic, seniors over the age of 60 often lose taste and smell abilities and lose the desire to eat. Weight loss can be a sign of more significant health issues such as cancer or digestive disorders.
Step 4
Accompany your parents to their doctors' visits so that you can get first-hand information about their health status. According to the Mayo Clinic, you should know all their doctors and how to reach them in case of emergencies. Keep track of their medication and check the prescription bottles to make sure they are taking the drugs appropriately. Familiarize yourself with their health insurance and benefits.
Tips and Warnings
- If you find yourself getting frustrated because your parents won't eat right, take their medications or follow your suggestions for activities, talk to their doctors to set up a mental health evaluation. According to the Mayo Clinic, many seniors fall into a state of depression as their health declines and they have to give up more and more control over their lives.
- If your parents have Alzheimer's disease or dementia, consider partial daycare services to give yourself a break each day. According to the National Institute on Aging, caring for aging parents can be overwhelming in the best of times. Continue to take care of yourself as you take on more and more responsibility for your parents. Take breaks, find support groups of other adult children taking care of their parents and hire extra help so you don't have to do everything.
