No matter how far you are from your parents, your relationship with them should always be strong. After all, the bond between parents and their children is said to be the strongest in the world.
You may have settled down somewhere miles away from them, but it’s now time to give them back the love and care they have shown you for so many years.
When you’re staying away, it can be tough to properly take care of your parents but thankfully, lightning-fast modes of communication make it easier for all of us to stay connected. Here are a few tips on how to take care of your parents while staying away from them.
Call more often
You don’t always need a special reason to call the two people closest to you, right? Whenever you have a bit of free time, give them a call and ask them how they are. Let them hear how your day went, how your work is, and all your stories.
In return, you should also listen to their stories and activities. Frequent phone calls can really make a difference here. And when you decide to video call them every now and then, it’s even better!
Call up your parents at least once a day and take a genuine interest in whatever they are saying. You’ll be surprised by how much closer you can be to them just via phone calls.
Surprise them
Even though you try your best to call your parents and keep in touch, they still miss you and your presence more than anything. This is why, if you get a day or two off from work, you can easily visit them and give them a lovely surprise!
When it comes to your mum and dad, every little gesture counts. Drop by all of a sudden, plan a weekend getaway with them, or do any fun activity together.
Spending a bit of quality time with your parents will not only strengthen your bond but also give you the motivation to go back and look forward to the next time you visit them!
Take care of their health
As you grow older, your parents start to age. Remember when they spent sleepless nights while you had fevers? It’s now time to make sure they, too, stay in the pink of health. While you can’t physically stay by their side when they are unwell, there are a few things you can do to ensure they are as fit as possible.
Apps like My Medadvisor can remind them to take all their pills on time and keep a thorough record of all their medical reports and appointments.
So make sure you ask them to install My Medadvisor on their phones. Even if they forget, you can remind them to take their medication and do a bit of exercise to stay healthy.
Be approachable
Nothing hurts a parent more than a child who has absolutely no time to talk to them. Even if you’re extremely busy, drop them a text and explain to them that you won’t be able to talk much for the next few hours or days.
It is extremely important to be approachable so that your parents can confide in you whenever they wish to. Make sure they understand that you can be counted on in case anything goes wrong. The key here is to reach out to them and keep communication as open as possible.
Let them know that you’re always close enough emotionally, if not physically.
Help them financially
Remember when you were a kid and you really wanted to buy that toy you loved? Our parents often buy us things even before we ask for them.
So it is also our responsibility to make sure they are financially taken care of when they approach old age. Your old parents might not accept the money or things that you give them, but tell them that it’s not a big deal and you like helping them out.
Helping them out financially also means making sure that everything necessary reaches them on time. Instead of waiting for them to ask you, take steps on your own and provide them with support.
Over to you…
When it comes to taking care of parents, there are endless things you can do. But some things, just as proper insurance or communication, are among the most important things. Protect them from all the uncertainties by assuring them that you’ll be there always.