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One of the most difficult things we face at 60 and Plus is caring for aging parents…
It can be stressful, full of conflict and downright destructive to your health and relationships.
But it doesn't have to be!
In this series we're going to navigate late life eldercare and all its challenges––and rewards. And I mean that last part. As difficult as it can be, and as difficult as an aging parent can be, it can be one of the most rewarding parts of life…
If you don't go crazy in the process!
Some myths…
You become the parent.
I used to believe that one myself. No––your parent is always your parent and you are always the child. That's what makes it so tough.
As an aging person starts to lose some control over one's own life, and to some degree this will happen to all of us, it can be a frustrating and painful experience. Most people don't want to think they can't take care of themselves, especially when it comes to very personal functions like hygiene and personal care.
And despite a normal slowing of cognitive functions for most people, people are still more mentally alert and vibrant than ever before for much longer.
It is important to make sure that an aging parent, as much as possible, is fully involved and in control of his or her life and decisions.
Most people can't stay at home.
It's not always easy and in many cases a lot of adjustments need to be made, but again today more than ever there are some terrific options for people who want to age in their own homes.
One of our favorites and a Big 60 Life "Hell Yeah!" is Visiting Angels. They are among the best in a growing field of providing quality home care for elders. Depending on your parent's needs, these organizations provide everything from simple companionship to help with chores and personal care, right up to full nursing services.
The old folks home…
No longer. Today's assisted living and full care facilities are NOT our grandparents' "old folks homes." Not most of them anyway!
One of the jokes we always make around here is that we're getting ready for Margaritaville, not Shady Acres. Well, Margaritaville is actually a retirement community! While its a retirement community, not assisted living, it provides a alternative for active, vibrant seniors who want to live it up, not just live it out.
The next step is assisted living––and many of these organizations are also catering to a much more active and adventurous crowd. People aren't sitting around waiting to die, they're out and about with a wide range of meaningful activities, but they still have help depending on their needs.
Even some of the full care facilities are now adapting to serve a generation that grew up with rock and roll, not Lawrence Welk.
We're going to cover a lot of these resources, and we're going to tackle some of the tough challenges we all face when trying to care for an aging parent:
How to have tough conversations including telling parents they shouldn't be driving, helping them with finances and preparing for expanded care.
How to help an aging parent leave their home and find great living options.
Dealing with parents who legitimately can't care for themselves but don't want to surrender control.
Protecting aging parents from scams and con artists.
And much, much more.
Don't miss one episode in this series!
We're going to share our own ongoing experience, and we're going to feature some leading experts on our "Adult Beverage Time" livestream to help us too.
Subscribe and hit the notification bell at The Big 60 Life on YouTube so you'll know when we put up new videos or go live.
Meanwhile, here's a great Ted Talk from one of the country's leading experts and advocates on caring for aging parents, Amy O'Rourke. We hope to have her on one of our programs soon!
Here are some resources you can access right now!
Most of us will face hearing loss at some point––and it can be a real challenge when we're trying to communicate with aging parents!
Otofonix is one of the highest rated and affordable providers of hearing aids in the market. Their customer service reviews are outstanding!
Check them out here…
We sometimes worry that Mom and Dad aren't eating right, especially as regular meal prep becomes challenging. And if they're still always on the go––they just might not have the time!
Silver Cuisine delivers pre-prepared meals designed by BistroMD specifically for seniors! Check out their amazing menu options…
Save even more if you're an AARP Member!
Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, we will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. Please understand that we have experienced or researched all of these companies, and we recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions we make if you decide to buy something through our links. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel absolute comfortable doing business with our affiliates.
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