Adult children often do not relish the idea of needing to assist their elderly parents; yet many will eventually need to do just that when they notice disconcerting changes such as forgetfulness or difficulty climbing stairs.
Changes such as this often signal that someone is becoming less capable of self-care and staying safe at home, according to experts. Unfortunately, accepting that additional assistance and acknowledging their vulnerability can be hard for seniors; many fear becoming burdens to their families while some deny decline altogether in order to avoid feeling like failures.
As this can be a stressful period for everyone involved, be careful not to become frustrated with or expect too much from your parents; doing so could result in feelings of resentment and animosity on both sides.
Experts advise taking a step back from your parent’s daily life in order to assess their situation, experts say. When doing this evaluation you’ll want to pay close attention to things such as whether or not they can prepare meals on their own, manage finances or complete routine tasks without assistance from others. It is also wise to assess any health or safety concerns such as recent falls or ongoing health conditions which might need medical intervention. In order to help assess their situation I created a free downloadable guide with checklists entitled Checking for Worrisome Signs of Aging Parents which offers quick assessments with easy-to-use checklists designed specifically to assess parent situations quickly and thoroughly.