Caregiving Issues
Safety vs. Independence for Senior Parents
Learn how to strike a balance between safety and independence for senior parents.
It’s a disagreement that develops for a number of families: senior parents adamantly like to age in place in their own homes, while their relatives are worried about their safety. And there’s a debate to be made in both scenarios. Seniors, especially those who live alone, confront many different risks: falls that could bring about serious injury, challenges in preserving way of life to which they’ve become accustomed as aging advances, even a susceptibility to fraud artists. Yet independence for senior parents is vital to self-worth, regardless of age.
Defining a balance that suits the requirements of both sides may very well be difficult, but there are several important factors to bear in mind that will help.
Let go of ageism. While there is certainly credibility to worries … Read More »
The Top 5 To-Dos When Caring for Parents
Review these essential tips when caring for senior parents.
Now that your mom is no longer able to drive, and is starting to move around a bit more slowly, you and your siblings have decided to split her care needs amongst yourselves. One of you will have to take her to the doctor’s office, grocery store and beauty shop. Another person needs to help with her household chores and laundry. And of course, the yard and flower beds need to be maintained. But there are additional crucial aspects to caring for parents that need to be addressed as well, yet often go unnoticed until there’s a problem.
The following list of to-dos to keep in mind when organizing a plan of care for your aging parents is a great place to start:
File all important personal documents like financial information on … Read More »
Caring for Aging Parents? Don’t Let Sibling Rivalry Get in the Way!
Learn tips to better get along with siblings when sharing the care for senior parents.
As kids, we were taught to share our toys and also our parents’ attention. Not surprisingly, the feelings associated with those memories can carry with us well into our adult years. As wonderful as it is to have brothers and sisters, there are also times when it leads to increased stress levels, such as when caring for aging parents. While loving each other and considering your siblings’ feelings were impressed upon us at an early age, a lingering sense of sibling rivalry can remain an obstacle when making tough decisions and making an effort to fairly share caregiving needs for our aging parents.
Gregory French, president-elect of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, explains, “What a family member considers ‘fair’ is very much dictated … Read More »
