Most people would give anything to have their mother and father alive and well, and living anywhere in the real world; but if you are even more fortunate and your parents still live in their own home, then that is even better.
Here, for your information and in an effort to alleviate your fears, is a guide on how to ensure your parents can continue to live independently as they get older.
Check They are Eating Well and Healthily
For people of any age, a healthy diet is important, but for older people, ensuring they receive the right vitamins and nutrients is even more crucial. You should strive to ensure that your parents are still preparing and cooking their own meals, and moreover, that they still enjoy mealtimes and snacks and generally look forward to eating.
In particular, you could try and encourage them to eat more of the following foodstuffs:
- Leafy green vegetables
- Cheese, milk and yoghurt
- Eggs
- Oily fish
- Brown rice
- Breakfast cereals with added vitamins
Help Them Keep On Top of the Cleaning
Obviously, if your parents are still house proud and are more than happy to look after their own washing, cleaning, and general chores around the house, then there is nothing for you to do in this area apart from making sure you do not leave a mess yourself when you visit.
However, if you notice that the trash can starts to pile up and there is more dust and random debris on the stairs that never used to be there, then assisting with the housekeeping yourself—or even suggesting treating them to a cleaner to visit once a week—would be a wise decision.
Talk to Them About Their Options
When it comes to discussing any kind of move (especially a permanent one) out of your parents’ home, it is always a good idea to make such topics a free conversation and one that is openly talked about by both your parents and yourself.
If the time does come for your parents to move to somewhere where their quality of life can continue to be at an optimum, by far the best decision is to look into assisted living Round Lake Beach, IL, which still affords total independence.
Maintain Their Social Interactions
Finally and perhaps most importantly of all, for any adult to be happy and content with their life, social interactions are a key part of a healthy mindset and strong levels of emotional wellbeing.
One of the beauties of being older and retiring from professional work is that a person has much more time to do exactly what they want, when they want, and as a result, if you sense that one or both of your parents no longer expresses a passion for gardening or another hobby, action needs to be taken. It may well be that they simply need reminding of how much they enjoy their pursuits, or it could be a case of introducing them to new hobbies and starting them together.
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