Aging is simply a fact of life, and at some stage, you may find yourself needing to help look after your aging parents. This often doesn’t happen overnight and slowly responsibilities may begin to come your way – but to ensure that nothing falls through the cracks here are a couple of things to try and keep track of if you have aging or elderly parents.
Mobility
We know that our bodies don’t work in the same way as they used to when we were young. Joints ache, muscles become weaker and slowly as we age our mobility decreases. Some people may opt to move out of their current home and into somewhere with easier access, such as a bungalow or an apartment with a lift, in preparation for the aging process. But for many aging parents the slow decrease in their mobility can be managed with simple changes to their current home such as stairlifts, rails in the bathroom and assistive furniture.
Despite this, some people are reluctant to make the shift and this could leave them at risk from greater injury such as a fall. The topic of decreasing mobility can be a bit of a touchy subject as people can find it hard to accept and admit their frailties, so it’s best to tackle mobility issues with sensitivity and introduce new measures slowly. This way, changes will be gradual and your parents can adapt in their own time. Although most people want to try and stay in their home, if mobility is becoming a very serious concern then it may be time to begin looking at a home health care service for in home help or even consider moving to elderly care accommodations which have the facilities and staff needed to keep your loved one safe.
Finances
Some elderly people will never need help managing their finances and will remain very independent, but others are more vulnerable to financial issues. As your parents’ age it’s important to keep a watchful eye for any financial troubles. If your relative is starting to have memory problems, has been a victim of theft or fraud or simply isn’t as good at keeping tabs on their spending as they were before, then it may be time to step in and help them keep on top of their finances. For some elderly people quite simply reading the letters that come through the post can be an issue or they may struggle to keep up with internet banking. Another issue facing many elderly parents is the worry of needing access to elderly care facilities which can be very costly if this is worrying them then seek aged care financial advice to put their mind at ease and to ensure that they do not get themselves into unwarranted debt.
Nutrition and hydration
Adequate nutrition and hydration is important throughout all stages of life but are particularly important to keep track of as people age. Elderly people living with conditions such as dementia can often forget to eat or drink and requires around the clock care to ensure they are meeting their nutritional needs. Although this is an extreme example, it’s still important to keep tabs on what your elderly parents are eating and drinking, some people find they lose their appetite, others decide they no longer wish to cook and instead live off of microwave meals and some may be eating a few too many chocolate biscuits and be putting themselves at risk of diabetes. If you notice any sudden weight loss or weight gain in your relative then it may be time to sit down and discuss their diet.
