This month’s theme is all about support for you and your aging parents. As our parents age, our role as children changes and we may need to step in as advocate, personal chauffeur, cook and housekeeper, or caregiver. It’s a time when things can become overwhelming for you and for them.
I found Amy’s candid advice to be spot on as we kick off this month’s educational series about helping your aging loved ones as you take care of you.
Amy provides some great tips in her video.
1. Have the conversation about your parents’ needs long before they are in need of additional support or resources. While your parents are healthy, able and in control, ask them what they would like for their future care should something change in their physical or mental abilities. It may be uncomfortable to start the conversation but remember, it’s just a conversation. They taught you well and they taught you to care. Approach the conversation with love and respect and let your parents express their feelings and wishes.
2. Be present in their lives, long before there are signs they may need help. Join them to make meals to ensure they are eating healthily as diet & nutrition can be one of the first things to change when parents begin to show signs of cognitive issues. I would also like to add that you will want to ensure they are able to walk up and down the stairs safely. Ensure they are able to clean their home or take care of their property. If not, you can support them in finding professional and reliable resources to help them with those tasks. You can also hire a contractor to retrofit or change a few things in their home (light switches, cupboard doors, door handles, grab bars, etc.) so that they can continue to live safely in their home.
3. If a parent is showing signs of mental decline, as in Amy’s case, she encourages you to keep your loved one active by playing games. In this video, she shares how pretending to rev a motorcycle is great for increasing hand mobility.
4. If your parent who is struggling has always been very social, remember they are still social. Speak to them, engage with them, continue to be social with them.
5. Ensure your parents have all their legal documents and insurance in order and in one location so that you are able to find what you need, should you need it. Amy references Insure U in her video which is an American company which provides advocacy and support to ensure your loved ones are properly insured. In Canada, I would recommend speaking with a money coach from Money Coaches Canada. They do not sell products, they provide information and education about what your parents’ current and future needs are.
I would love to hear from you. What are your greatest challenges? What are you dealing with or worried about now for which you could use additional support? This month’s focus is all about bringing you the resources and support you need, so kindly reach out to me and I’ll be happy to help! Your questions will also inspire future blog posts and videos.
If you need help with the physical and emotional burden of sorting, decluttering and downsizing your loved one’s property, my team and I at Moving Forward Matters are here to help. We can provide you with the one-on-one assistance you need to get through each closet, each cupboard, every box and storage container. You do not have to do it alone.
In addition, should you simply need to have a professional team bring items to local charity, to the recyclers or the waste site, our teams at 1-800-GOT-JUNK? are happy to help. We will do all the lifting, loading and driving to appropriate locations to ensure your loved one’s property finds a new home or is properly recycled or disposed of.
I’m here to help. We are here to help. You do not have to do it alone!
Additional Resources:
WATCH: “How to Approach the Subject of Downsizing & Moving with Your Aging Parents”
“Having the Talk” podcast
NEW! “PEACE OF MIND CHECKLIST FOR AGING PARENTS AND LOVED ONES” IS NOW AVAILABLE! Download this complimentary checklist to help you cover many of the areas of concern that you may have with your aging parents or loved ones. This checklist is geared to help you ensure that you have peace of mind while caring for someone that you love.
