Hi lovelies,

A sad but true fact is that one day, your parents are going to need more help with their day to day lives. As we get older, our bodies begin to deteriorate and certain abilities - even simple ones - such as climbing the stairs or standing to make a nutritious meal are almost impossible. As their child, it’s natural for you to want to help them as much as possible, and if you’re not sure where to start, we’ve put together this guide on taking care of your parents as they get older.

Bring in external help where possible
Taking care of your parents can be a huge responsibility, especially if you’ve got your own children to think about too. That, and working may mean that you don’t have as much time as you’d like to spend taking care of your parents - and that’s completely normal, so don’t worry about it! You can hire carers to visit your parents when you can’t to ensure they have enough food and drink, and to take care of anything else they might need such as bathing or going to the bathroom.

Take them for regular check ups
If one of your parents is rapidly deteriorating, it might not simply be down to old age. Sometimes, an underlying infection or disease could be causing the symptoms you’re seeing, and if caught in good time, could be a simple fix. Take your parents for regular check ups to see if there’s anything underlying that could be causing their difficulties. Cancer, for example, can limit movement, cause loss of appetite, and problems with bowels, and that’s just to name a few. Finding it sooner rather than later will allow your parents to gain access to cancer care and if caught early enough, still live a long life. Regular check ups at the Doctor’s will help keep an eye on this.

Don’t take away their independence 
You might be feeling like you need to do everything for your parents, especially if they are struggling to do simple tasks. However, it’s important to have patience with your parents, because taking away their independence completely can be extremely dehumanising. This is especially important when it comes to making decisions like whether or not a care home might be the best option so they can get care around the clock. Respect your parent’s wishes and take the time to talk to them about what their options are.

Spend time with them
Finally, life is too short to worry about the ifs and whens, and even if your parents are ageing without any problems, you should spend as much time with them as possible! The fact is, nobody knows when their last day on earth will be, and you should cherish every moment you can spend it with those that you love.

Seeing your parents growing older can be distressing, so use these tips to give them the best care possible so that they can grow old with dignity around those who love them the most.