5 topics to discuss with aging parents
February 2, 2011
Adult children often face a sudden role reversal when older parents require more assistance. This can come as a shock for many families, so it’s best to have a conversation about aging issues before they become serious problems, according to The News-Press. Here are some topics that children should discuss with their parents:
1. Legal issues – It’s important that seniors have given their children power of attorney and that end-of-life decisions have been discussed by the family. Otherwise, children risk not knowing what a parent really wants during an emergency.
2. Finances – This is another difficult topic to bring up, but one should be sure that elderly parents have a plan in place for inheritance and medical care during retirement.
3. Extra care – Many parents won’t tell the family that they require some amount of daily assistance, so instead it’s up to adult children to stay in touch every day and try and decide if Mom or Dad may need extra care.
4. Home medical alert systems – These devices can provide seniors with a way to instantly send a personal emergency response message to family caregivers or doctors, so they can get help in the case of an unexpected injury.
5. Caregiver conversations – Talk to relatives, family and friends about responsibilities. This can create a network of support and help prevent burnout.
