Holidays are Just One Opportunity to Talk with Elderly Parents About the Future
Holidays are Just One Opportunity to Talk with Elderly Parents About the Future
The holidays are a great time to check in on aging parents. However, any time you have the opportunity to visit elderly loved ones for an extended period of time, the better idea you’ll have of how they are coping in their own home.
However, it is important that during these visits you do more than just observe your parents and their surroundings. You also want to talk with them about what will happen moving forward, especially should a crisis arise. A recent article in the Chicago Tribune, Holidays are Time for Parents, Children to Discuss and Plan for the Inevitable, outlines things you need to talk to your parents about just to be sure everyone is on the same page. These include things like:
- Are financial documents in order? Does everyone who will need access to this paperwork have it?
- Who is in control? Are appropriate powers of attorney in place for financial and medical matters?
- Is it time to reassess living arrangements? Waiting until someone needs to be hospitalized or forced to leave their home because of an accident or illness is never an ideal plan.
These types of conversations can be uncomfortable but are necessary nonetheless. If you need help knowing how to talk with your elderly loved ones or advice on how to make sure they are getting the care they require, call Physician’s Choice Private Duty at 402-331-2273.