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Seeing your parents age, and no longer as active as they once were can come as a shock. When your parents grow older, they may begin to experience health problems, and you may see your roles reversed. Instead of your parents taking care of you, you may now need to help care for them.
Helping your parents stay healthy can be tricky. They may resent your attempts to take care of them, or they may not believe that they need any help at all. It is vital to strike a balance between caring for them and not interfering. It is likely that your parents will want to stay independent for as long as possible, and won’t appreciate being told what to do. If you are too overbearing, you are likely to cause issues in your relationship, so talking things through with your parents, and being guided by them as to the level of help that they require is crucial.
Regular Checkups
To stay in the best health, your parents will need to have regular checkups. Along with the usual medical checkups, it is also essential to schedule hearing tests and eye tests. Many people experience a deterioration in both their hearing and their eyesight as they age. Both hearing loss and vision problems can impact on your parent’s sense of wellbeing and enjoyment of life.
Ensuring that your parents have regular checkups should help to detect the early onset of any problems, and steps can then be taken to resolve them. Hearing loss can make people feel isolated and can be frustrating for them. Not being able to hear conversations clearly, or able to listen to the radio and television can really impact on your parent’s quality of life.
If a visit to the audiologist shows that your parent is experiencing hearing loss, they may suggest that they have hearing aids fitted. Getting hearing aids can make a massive difference to your parent’s wellbeing and help them to feel more connected to the world around them. Nowadays, there are many different styles of hearing aids available. During the consultation, the audiologist will be able to recommend a style that best suits your parent’s needs, and will bring them the most significant benefit.
Keep in Touch
One of the most important steps towards helping your parents to stay healthy is to keep in touch with them either over the phone or in person. Communication is at the heart of all healthy relationships, and the parent/child one is no different. Contacting your parents regularly will help you gauge how they are feeling and gain a clearer idea of how they are doing. Being in regular contact will ensure you notice subtle changes to their health more quickly, and help them get these issues resolved.
Keeping in touch with your parents is especially important if they live alone, as they may feel isolated and lonely. Human connection and communication are crucial to everyone’s sense of wellbeing, and your parents are no exception.
Thank you for reading!
