Life is short – but – life is beautiful, and every moment is worth living. When we are babies – our parents take care of us and as we get older, become responsible, and have our own families – we care for our parents. We age – but we all experience aging differently.
Now, it isn’t necessary for your parents to need help – the kind of help that nursing homes offer. However, it is a good thing to be a good caregiver of your parents and truly understand the earliest signs that you might have to arrange for them to be under 24/7 supervision.
Here are some of the signs.
Physical Injuries
As our parents get older – they become clumsy, which makes them more prone to falling and getting injured. Mobility might become an issue and no matter how much your parents might want to live independently – it might not be possible anymore.
Here is what you might want to do: when your parents get older, you can sense that there are issues as they might struggle with everyday tasks. For instance, they might not feed themselves properly as they might feel too exhausted or weak to cook.
Make Things Easier for Them
You should visit them often and look for signs that can indicate their struggle, such as hygiene issues that weren’t there before. You might see bruises from falling. Watch out for uneven floors and install sensor lights for stairs to make it easier for your parents.
When our parents get older – they start hiding things from their children out of care – such as bumps, burns, and bruises. If you notice them hiding these, you want to behave lovingly, sit down with them, and tell them you care about them and their wellbeing and how a nursing home can be a safe space for them.
Late Night Calls
As our parents get older – they become more dependent on their kids for their safety. You might have noticed that late-night calls from your parents have increased. Or, you might worry about them being alone at home that you feel you cannot go anywhere without your phone – in case something happens.
Besides, you might be expecting your old parents to call you at night – they might be anxious to talk to you or even confused, as all of this is normal for old age. If this happens, you should take it as a serious indicator that your old parents aren’t coping well at home.
You should know that if your parents have dementia or Alzheimer’s, they are more likely to call you at night and be confused. Such late night calls can become a burden to your personal life to the point that it might prove stressful for your relationship.
Personal Hygiene
As our parents get older – they become weak and struggle with daily tasks, even the simplest ones, such as bathing, brushing teeth, clipping nails, and general personal hygiene. During your visits, you might start to notice that the hygiene standards of your loved ones have started to slip.
If you see that the personal hygiene of your parents is getting compromised, you shouldn’t want to deal harshly with them – instead – talk to them in a soothing and loving way while having the much-needed conversation about moving to a nursing home.
Speaking of nursing home care, you should know the warning signs of nursing home abuse, as poor personal hygiene while in the nursing home is also a sign of abuse. Poor hygiene when at a nursing home means that no one is taking care of your older parents. It also means that your older parents are being neglected while they are supposed to be taken care of by the professional caregivers at the nursing home.
Ask the Right Questions
The thing is that if your parents are old and at home – visit them regularly and ask them about how frequently they bath. Be loving when you ask them about their struggles with bathing and personal hygiene. The reason is – as you might have noticed – as our parents get older – they become too proud to admit their struggles.
However, you are their child – as you always will be – with kindness, you can encourage them to open up about their struggles. Subsequently, you can be gentle while helping them understand why moving to a nursing house can be healthier and safer for them.
Messy House and Garden
As our parents get older – they start to struggle with things that were once easy to do for them. The next time you visit your older parents, take a tour of the house. What do you see? Can you see piles of unwashed dishes in the kitchen sink? Is there a broken vase or cup that wasn’t cleaned?
The backyard must have been cherished and well-taken care of once, but now it has turned into a mess. The plants that your parents loved and watered might have now turned into a haunted garden that is growing nothing but weeds.
On the surface, all of these things are small and might even look insignificant – but – these are important signs that your older parents are struggling. They are struggling with day-to-day things and cannot manage their house without help.
Be Gentle and Have a Conversation
Now, the next best thing to do is to sit down with your parents and have an important talk with them. Make sure your parents don’t feel belittled, as it can add injury to the problem. Be gentle while telling the they need the support and they deserve to be looked- after. Always tell them that you are on their side and want the best for them. This way, your parents won’t feel attacked but they will understand that you truly care about them and wish the best for them.
The Takeaway
Getting old is an important phase of life. Without support, it can be stressful not only for our older parents but also for us – their kids. If you can relate and you find yourself more stressed than usual while thinking about how your old parents are keeping up – the best thing to do is to recognize the issues as soon as you can and get to the solution to your problem.
