Yes, taking care of our elderly parents is good. They need our help more as they get older. We should be there for them, listen to them, and make sure they are okay. Helping them can be easy, like talking with them, going to the doctor, or helping with household tasks. It shows that we care and are grateful for everything they have done for us.
Why is it important to care for elderly parents?
Caring for elderly parents is a way of giving back for the nurturing they’ve provided. It ensures they live with dignity, comfort, and companionship in their later years. It also offers emotional support and helps prevent feelings of isolation and depression that can accompany aging.
What are the ways to provide care for our elderly parents?
Providing care can range from daily check-ins and assistance with household chores to medical care and financial support. It can also include seeking professional caregiver services or considering a suitable senior living facility if the need arises.
Can caring for elderly parents impact our own lives?
Yes, while caring for elderly parents can be fulfilling, it may also lead to emotional, physical, and financial strain. It’s important to find a balance that allows you to care for your parents without neglecting your own well-being. Seeking support from other family members and community resources can help.
Story by Michael Edmond
On June 4, 2018, at the age of 86, my mother fell at home and broke her left wrist and left leg. She had surgery 2 days later in the hospital. Then, she spent another 8 days in the hospital and then 20 days in a local hospital in a swing bed.
She would never walk again, going from 102 pounds down to 72 pounds by the time she was allowed to come home. So now she lies in a home bed and needs 24/7 care. At that time, I was 64 years old, married, and the only one with the youngest child who was able to come here to take care of her. Fast forward 7 months and she’s back in the hospital with a blood infection.
She comes home 2 weeks later. Still unable to move and lying in bed. During this time, I filed for divorce because it wasn’t fair to my wife to keep her tied up when I couldn’t be with her and I didn’t know how long it would take. On April 10, 2020, my mother passed away. 2 years and 6 days after her decline. Now, did I have to do this for her? No, but this woman gave birth to me and dedicated her life to raising me. In return, I was so indebted to her. Is it easy to do? Hell no, it’s not. Bathing daily, feeding her, changing her and her bed was a full-time job. But I had promised her many years ago that I would never put her in a nursing home and I kept my promise.
She wanted to die at home and she did, in the bed she had shared with my father for 58 years, and I can say she passed away here in her bed at her home quietly in her sleep as I had promised her she would. I can’t see any reason for a child to put their parents in a care home if they are able to take care of them. Let them stay at home and think about the love they showed you when raising you, all the things they gave up to take care of you in your childhood.
Answer by Maggie Christy
Did you have good relations with your parents? Did they try their best to take care of your needs during your childhood? Since you have become an adult, have they treated you with the decency of a human being?. If the answer to the above questions is yes, there are many ways you can take care of your elderly parents.
You can take care of their actual day-to-day physical needs yourself, with the help of other relatives or paid caregivers. You can help them sort out their finances. If you are not able to provide it yourself, you can search for the best options for long-term care. If you choose a long-term care facility, you can keep yourself informed about what is being done for your elderly parents, and if possible, visit them regularly every day.
Answer by Dr Bibhash Chandra Jha
We should take care of our elderly parents in this manner: We must take out at least half an hour daily for our parents, to listen to their talks and complaints, and to address every grievance they might have. We should share our work and experiences with our elderly parents too.
Parents may be uneducated, but their life experience is many times greater than our bookish knowledge. We should focus more on taking care of them than on our material possessions. Their health should be carefully looked after, and in case of ill health, a doctor should be consulted at the earliest.
We must express gratitude to our elderly parents for every deed they have done so that they consider us their virtuous offspring, and in return, they shower us with immense blessings. If necessary, we should become like Shravan Kumar, carrying our elderly parents on our shoulders to take them on a pilgrimage.
