Parents. Where, what or who would we be without them today. Many of us will not recognize the challenges, sacrifices, and work our parents put into our upbringing as we get older. This is one of the many reasons as to why we, as children, should be the one to care for them as they age.
For every sacrifice they made, they showed up for you and cared for you. They always look out for you when everyone else turned their back on you. Hence why, getting to know and care for your elderly parents is a way to show your love. It is also a way to show respect for their sacrifices, in other words repaying their kindness.
Today, this is for our parents. Letting them know that we appreciate them, reassuring them that we’ll be there to take care of them when they’re older, as they did when we were younger.
Why Should We Take Care Of Our Parents?
Life is short and our parents are not getting any younger. They’re all we have at the end of the day. No matter what we’ve been through or the amount of mess we’ve made, they’re always the ones to love us unconditionally.
Don’t see it as a burden when it comes to taking care of them. As human beings and their children, it’s just the right thing to do. Think about all the things they’ve done for us since we were in our mother’s stomach, the amount of prayers they’ve said just for us to be good kids.
This is our time to show them how much we love them. For as long as we can, we should try to provide the best for our parent’s health. They may have no one else to depend on but their children.
When Taking Care of An Elderly..
When it comes to caring for the elderly, or our parents, there are lots of things that require heavy consideration and commitment. Here’s a few things to take note of:
Discuss Matters With Your Family
If you belong to a big family, it’s important to discuss with your family members on how things should work when it comes to taking care of your parents. Especially when each member have families of their own, it would be best to set a schedule or a roster. For example, who’s turn to visit the parents, buy groceries for them, make sure their medications are met and so on.
If each member cooperate and work together, it would not be as complicated. Coming from a family of 6 siblings, I can totally understand how things can get messy if not discussed properly amongst ourselves. The goal is to make sure parents are happy and healthy as they age.
Support Them Financially
As our parents step into their retirement age, they might not have a stable income, or even any. When it comes to your parents, don’t be greedy! Though it can be costly, work it out with your siblings or family members. Things such as medication and caretaking expenses should be a necessity that shouldn’t be skimped on.
If the family members simply cannot find the time to take care of their parents, hiring a home based nurse is also a good option. At least we’re reassured that they are being taken care of round the clock.
Be Patient
As we get older, our health deteriorates and at some point we will lose the ability to look after ourselves. That’s what happens to our elderly parents too, and we have to be understanding when it comes to this subject matter. Things get more delicate if they experience certain health ailments (e.g. dementia, diabetes and so on).
It can be a lot to deal with, but remember, it all goes back to repaying them for what they’ve done for you. Be genuine throughout caring for them, show them that they raised a good person. It will give them a sense of appreciation and accomplishment.
Last But Not Least..
There’s nothing more in this world that I personally want except for the longevity of our parents’ age and health. I’ve seen plenty of people regretting not being able to be there with their parents until it’s too late. We shouldn’t wait till they’re at the end of their lifeline to start caring for them.
Spend time as much as you can with your parents while taking care of them, while they are still around. If there’s anyone in this world who will love you without any judgement, it would be your parents.