Family

Spending time with family, staying healthy

Spending time with family, staying healthy

Introduction

Spending time with family on the farm is a great way to stay healthy and active. Once we bought the farm, I knew I wanted a place my adult children wanted to come to visit and have fun. Now as grandparents, we feel that our grandchildren are getting the same opportunity to experience life on a farm. My children tell me all the time how much they enjoy being at camp cooking out and fishing. They especially love taking the grandkids fishing. It makes them so happy just spending time with them away from home in another environment.

Staying healthy includes spending time together, sharing old stories, and creating new ones. With life being so busy, it is so relaxing just getting together with family and enjoying each other’s company.

Whether you’re a student, parent, or just someone who wants to spend time with your family, it’s important to do the things that make you happy. And when it comes to spending quality time with your loved ones, nothing beats having fun together!

But sometimes it can be difficult to find that extra hour every day for yourself. Between work and school assignments and other responsibilities (or even just working out), finding some extra time in your schedule can be challenging.

But don’t worry—we’ve got something that’ll help make sure the moments you do have together are truly special: our Family Time!

As a grandparent, having your grandchildren around bring joy and excitement. I read how having your grandchildren around helps keep you young. This is so true. Not only does it make your heart happy to have them around but it keeps you busy.

As a grandparent, having your grandchildren around bring joy and excitement. I read how having your grandchildren around helps keep you young. This is so true. Not only does it make your heart happy to have them around but it keeps you busy.

I am not sure which comes first, the chicken or the egg but my family has been getting healthier as they spend more time together. We seem to eat a lot less junk food and eat more fruits and vegetables than we did before our grandkids came along. Our whole family spends time together at least once a week for dinner or breakfast which means we are eating meals together instead of grabbing fast food on the go so much anymore!

Spending time with family on the farm is a great way to stay healthy and active. Once we bought the farm, I knew I wanted a place my adult children wanted to come to visit and have fun.

The farm is a great place to get away from the stress of life, and it’s an ideal place for family gatherings. The best part is that there are so many different activities you can do on the farm, so you won’t get bored. It also makes it easy for kids to keep busy while you relax or work around the property.

I have three adult children and three grandchildren who visit regularly during summertime vacations and holidays. We have had family reunions here since we moved in over a decade ago, which has been fun for everyone involved!

Conclusion

I hope you will find time to get out and enjoy your farm.

Life of a #officermom

I hate what is going on in this world.

I hate that my son, an officer, has to fear for his life daily and put himself in the way of danger every day for people who do not even appreciate it.

I hate all of the hate in the world.

I hate that people can not see how the media is causing a majority of the problem.

police car lights

https://www.pexels.com/photo/auto-automobile-blur-buildings-532001/

I will never understand what makes someone want to be an officer in the world we live in now. It is the most underappreciated, life-threatening job. I spend evenings praying and worrying because my son had to work a demonstration or a march.

This is a sad time we live in and we need to come together not apart. I pray for everyone to learn and understand each other. We must come together and stop the violence. Everyone has the right to peacefully stand up for what they believe in.

But please remember, my son’s life matters too!

9 Ways To Remember Your Loved Ones

Image by Dave Gerber from Pixabay 

 

Although it can be a hard topic to talk about, the loss of loved ones is something that we all have to experience within our lifetime. Whether you’re losing a family member or a friend, it’s important you’re doing all that you can to remember them as time goes on. Whilst it may be hard at first, there are lots of ways in which you can do exactly that. From creating a photo book to sharing their stories with others, the more you’re doing the better. With that in mind, here are 9 ways to remember your loved ones: 

 

– Create A Photo Book

 

If you’re looking for a creative way to remember your loved ones, why not create a photo book with all of your favorite photos of them? Whether you use a website that allows you to create a photo book that ships out to you or you get creative and create your own, having a place to display all of your favorite memories is a great way to remember those that you have lost. If you don’t want to purchase a book or print out lots of photos, there are also lots of free digital books you can create online. This is a great option if you want to send it to a lot of people. For tips and tricks when it comes to creating a photo book, you can visit this site here. 

 

– Print Out Photos And Frame Them Around Your House

 

If you want to make use of the photos that you have but you don’t want to create a photo book, why not print a couple of them off and display them around your home? From canvas prints to photo frames, there are lots of ways to incorporate photographs into your home decor. 

 

– Continue To Share Their Stories

 

If you have lost someone that is close to you then chances are you’re going to have lots of different stories to share about them. Whether it’s something you remember from when you were little to a story about the last time you saw each other, these stories need to be shared for years to come. From telling your children to telling your new friends, you can make their memory live on as long as possible if you’re sharing lots of amazing stories in your day to day lives. 

 

– Keep Something Of Theirs With You

 

Although this may not always be possible, keeping something that belonged to them with you at all times is another great way to remember your loved ones. Whether you’re wearing a piece of their jewelry or you have an item of their clothing, you will remember something you loved about them every time you touch or look at their belonging. If you’re unable to take a full item of their clothing, lots of people like to take a small snippet that they sew into something of their own. Whether it’s a blanket, a jumper or a scarf – the possibilities are endless. For a guide to creating mementoes from your loved one’s clothing, you can visit this site here. 

 

– Set Up A Permanent Memorial And Visit Regularly 

 

If you haven’t already, you need to set up a permanent memorial spot that you can visit regularly. Whether this it’s a bench in town, an urn in your own home or a headstone at your local church, having a place that you can visit in order to feel close to them is important, especially if you’re struggling to process what has happened. For more information, you can visit Memorials.com here. 

 

– Support A Cause Close To Their Hearts

 

Another perfect way to remember your loved ones that have passed is to support a cause that was close to their hearts. Whether they donated to a specific charity every month or they passed from a specific condition, supporting that cause will help you feel as though you’re helping their memory live on. From charity events to single donations, every little bit of support can help. 

 

– Put Together A Video Of Them

 

Although you may not have a lot of footage of them, in today’s day and age there are always lots of video cameras going around at events and gatherings. Whether you have 1 minute of footage of 5 hours, putting together a video that you can watch whenever you need to is definitely a great way to feel closer to your loved ones. It will remind you of all the happy moments you shared together and whilst you may be sad at your loss, you’ll be thankful for all of the time you did get together. If you’re struggling to put together a video, there are lots of apps that will easily allow you to do this from your phone. Once you’ve created it, you can share to social media or send to others who may like to see some happy memories. 

 

– Visit Their Favorite Places 

 

Another way to feel closer to those that you have lost is to visit their favorite places. Whether this means going to their favorite country or visiting their favorite park, you’ll be able to take the time to reflect and think about why they loved that particular place so much. If they have a place that they liked to visit a lot, you may also want to consider having their memorial here. 

 

– Celebrate Their Birthday

 

Finally, you need to be sure you’re always making an effort to celebrate their birthday. Although it may be difficult, it’s a perfect way to ensure their memory is living on. Whether this means buying a birthday cake or getting all of your friends and family together, you’ll feel much better knowing that you’re all in this together. 

 

Are you looking for ways to remember your loved ones? What can you do to ensure their memory lives on forever? Did we miss anything off of the list? Let me know your thoughts and ideas in the comments section below. 

Preparing For Your Parents’ Future

While you are busy preparing for your future and the future of your children, have you passed a thought for your parents? You are not in any way obligated to plan and prepare your parents for their future, and yet as their child, you want to see them happy and comfortable for the entirety of their life. 

 

No child wants to think about the health of their parents, even adult children don’t want to think about it, and we subconsciously prepare ourselves for our parents to decline. We do need to get ready for our parents to age, and you need to include them in the conversation when making choices surrounding their health and care. With that in mind, let’s check out a few ways in which you can prepare for their future.

Image Source: Pexels

  1. Hold A Family Meeting. Sit down with your parents and siblings, your aunts and uncles if necessary. You want to know what your parents want as they age. Some people don’t want to go into a retirement home but would be perfectly happy with home care services from companies like https://serenityhomehealth.com/services/. You won’t know that though unless you ask! So, bring up this topic and be gentle but practical. We all age; there’s no hiding from that, and you want to give your parents what they want.
  2. Talk About Their Needs. If your parents are already elderly, then you need to consider their needs right now. If their home situation has changed, you should work with them to figure out what they can do to be more supported. Do they need financial help? Is the house turning into a mess? Could they use the services of a cleaner? These questions need to be answered, and only your parents can answer them.
  3. Assess Their Finances. You need to think about the financial resources of your parents. Are they able to manage their own money? Do they need someone to step in and take over? You can help them to come to that decision by seeing whether they can continue paying their bills each month. Please speak to an attorney about their finances and nominate someone to help them with their management.
  4. Medical Planning. Do your parents have a medical power of attorney nominated? If not, then it’s time to get that sorted and fast. You want them to have someone on their side to answer the critical questions about their health when the time comes that they cannot do it themselves. Knowing that this in place should be a big help!
  5. Talk About Change. Ask your parents how they feel about everything. Don’t allow your own feelings to get in the way of theirs here; they’ll feel angry and upset that they can’t do things for themselves, so let them feel it. A loss of independence is hard to cope with, and you should be supportive of them and their decisions as much as possible. Help them through their future planning, and you will have happier parents for it.

Convincing Your Parents To Move Into Assisted Living

As we get older, living independently can get harder. If your parents are beginning to struggle, it can be very difficult for both you and them. An assisted living facility can be the safest place for them to be, but elderly people won’t always like the idea of this. They might worry about losing independence or dignity, especially if they are already using an all-terrain mobility scooter, but you can help them to feel better about the idea.

 

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First, approach the topic in the right way. Don’t bring it up as though you have already made the decision for them. Instead, mention that there might be some options available to make their life easier and more fun. 

 

Some spend time together researching assisted living centers like Aegis Living. Offer to take your parents for a visit to see what they like and don’t like about the options nearby. If they’re willing to go, this is great, but don’t push the subject if they’re not. Drop the subject and try again another day.  

 

Use a teachable moment to encourage. If one of your parents has had a fall or is beginning to struggle with tasks like cooking or getting dressed, use this to gently raise the subject again. Point out how lucky they are that it wasn’t a bigger issue, and ask what they would do if things got worse or they were hurt in an accident. Don’t frighten them, but encourage them to consider who would look after them. This might encourage them to reconsider thinking about living somewhere where they would have access to more help. Go gentle, but a reality check could be a big help. 

 

Try not to push too hard. While it’s important to get them the help they need, pushing too hard will have the opposite effect. Pick your moments. For example, if your mother is complaining that they don’t see their friends as often, or your father is unhappy with managing the garden at home, use this to gently broach the subject. This can help them to feel they are making this decision themselves and for the right reasons. If they’re in control, the process will be much smoother. 

 

Ask your friends to see if anyone you know has an elderly relative who is doing well in a local assisted living community. Do your parents have friends who have already made the move themselves? Get these people to talk to your parents and tell them about the good parts of these communities. They can discuss their worries with someone who understands and can better put their minds at ease. Knowing someone in the facility can help too, as they will already know someone and find it much easier to make friends when they arrive. 

 

If you can’t find a facility where they will already know someone, find somewhere that offers the sort of activities they enjoy. If they can settle in and get to know the other residents through cards, dance classes or a gardening club, they’re sure to settle in much faster.

Visiting Your Elderly Relatives And Why It’s So Important

Visiting our elderly relatives is something that most of us enjoy, they tend to have the most exciting stories, and the funniest comments about the state of the world today. But if this isn’t a good enough incentive to visit your elderly relatives, whether they are close to you or not, here are some of the benefits that this act of kindness springs to everybody involved when you take a little time out of your schedule to visit your elderly relatives. That is if they actually want you to visit, as many have their own very successful social lives, And may not have time for your visits!

Photo by Josh Appel on Unsplash

 

Relieves loneliness

It is reported that elderly people can quite quickly become isolated and lonely, it’s a common problem and unfortunately, one that the older generation Suffers with quite significantly if you are living alone, and you don’t have regular visitors, there is only so much that can be done in the local area you live in, to relieve loneliness. Many elderly people visit the shops to chat with the shopkeepers or even pop to the library to be around other people. But if you have an elderly relative, then it goes without saying that visiting them regularly is the least that you can do. Of course, we all lead busy lives, but there is no excuse for leaving an elderly relative alone to become lonely and depressed. And if you can imagine how you will feel when you are older, then you may feel a bit more empathy.

 

Help with independence

Even though your elderly relatives may not want to ask for help and pride can sometimes kick into their detriment, there are a few things that you can help out with around the home if you notice there are maintenance issues, or even just helping with some decluttering. It’s not easy asking for help with something that they would’ve done quickly when they were younger. Still, if you approach the situation carefully, and show that your intentions are to help, you may find that the conversation can move on to safety equipment such as walkers or rollators over time. 

 

Boost self-esteem

What better way to show someone you care about them than to make an effort to go and visit them? It is a very selfless thing to do and can mean the world to a relative. Sometimes older people, when isolated and lonely, can lose their confidence a little. And you can reverse this and make that person feel loved and cared for. That is a beautiful thing to do for anybody. Just a few kind words and a listening ear can really make a massive difference to an elderly relative who may not have heard or seen from anybody for quite some time.

 

So why is it so important to visit our elderly relatives? Well, it goes without saying that you will make a difference to that person’s life in a positive way. And with good intentions and a bit of kindness, you can make somebody’s day and really improve their mood.

Should You Invite Your Elderly Relative To Live With You?

Do you remember your idyllic childhood? Perhaps you remember the evenings having boisterous family meals around the dining room table, the Christmases spent ripping open presents with your parents looking on, their faces beaming, or sitting on your dad’s shoulders like a toddler and having the most energetic and lively parents catering for your every need. Fast forward a few decades and things might have changed. Your mum and dad will be getting older, they will have inevitably slowed down a little, and their health may not be as tip-top as it once was.

 

When our parents’ age, we can be faced with our own mortality. As we witness the deterioration of our parents physical and sometimes mental state, our memories can become tinged with sadness as we remember what once was and can never be again. However, because you love your parents, you are willing to do anything within your power to make sure that their twilight years are happy and comfortable.

 

You might be tempted to invite your parents to live with you. While this can sound wonderful in theory, with your own offspring enjoying the company of their grandparents, in reality, this can be altogether less idyllic. Take a look at whether you are ready for such a commitment, or whether a more alternative approach to your parents future may be more appropriate.

Image Credit

 

Live In Parents

 

Having your parents coming to live with you can and will alter the dynamic of your household. This could be for the better of your family, or it could be stressful and a negative experience. When you invite your parents to live with you, you cannot turn back the clock and change your mind. Your mom or dad may be thrilled at the offer and jump at the chance to spend more time with their grandchildren. In principle, the idea of having more bodies in the home can be a good idea. If your parents don’t have too many health issues, you can pool financial resources, enjoy larger family gatherings and enjoy the benefit of having free live-in babysitters. At the same time, your little cherubs will adore having their grandparents around to hear stories about the olden days, to play games with and to have a different face pick them up from school.

 

While there are some incredible positive plus points to having your mom or dad live with you, this can become a fraught situation very quickly if the ground rules aren’t set. Remember when you used to live with your parents as an adolescent? They can become overbearing. On top of this, they may take on too much of a disciplinarian role with your kids, eat your food, be noisy late at night and generally not fit into the dynamic of your family home.

 

If health problems begin to emerge, your parents may need more professional care. This may mean more difficult decisions need to be made with regards to your parents care. Your home may not be the most suitable environment for them. However, leaving this comfortable home can be traumatic and heading to somewhere totally unfamiliar can result in heightened emotions.

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Alternatives

 

If your parents are struggling to live independently, you don’t have to house them in your own pad. You might want to read more here and look into the possibility of assisted living. These complexes of small homes are very different to a care or nursing home. Your mom or dad will still be able to live on their own emulating the independence that they are so used to. However, there will be professional healthcare workers and wardens on hand twenty-four hours a day should they need assistance. The collective camaraderie of a complex can also lead to social circles expanding and your elderly relative’s diary becoming more jam-packed than yours has been in years.

 

Alternatively, your parents could even stay in their own home and have healthcare professionals visit them on a regular basis. This can vary from a meal on wheels service to more medical intervention when needed. As long as your parents are mentally competent and can physically look after themselves, there’s no reason why they cannot stay in their familiar and happy home environment.

 

If your parents are struggling with a medical condition whether this is an illness or dementia, they may need twenty-four hour care. When our parents struggle to look after themselves, it can be painful to witness. Although we may feel like we owe our parents, we shouldn’t feel burdened to them. We are not doctors or healthcare professionals, and this is what our parents may need at some point in their lives.

 

A nursing home may be the only suitable option to ensure that your parents receive the care they need. To ensure they are in the best environment, make sure that you keep all dialogue channels open with them. Go together to visit potential nursing homes, meet residents and staff and check out online reviews. A more local home will be more appropriate as you can visit regularly and be on hand should you need to get to your parents at short notice.

 

Make sure that you always ask your parents where they want to live. Although it may be difficult to hear, the idea of living with you and your lively brood may be your parents worst nightmare. They may welcome the opportunity to move into an assisted living facility, or they may understand the need to go into a nursing home. It’s vital that you listen to their wants and needs in order to maintain a positive and happy relationship.

 

Whether you should have your elderly relative live with you or not is a tricky question that only you can answer. Take into account every option available and keep your parents in the loop to ensure they don’t feel redundant in the decision-making process. With any luck, you will find the most appropriate living arrangements for your nearest and dearest that leaves the whole family content and happy,

This entry was posted in Family.

Filling The Void Left By Children Flying The Nest

Pixabay The home might feel empty; your life doesn’t have to.

 

Seeing your children develop and grow into young adults is one of the most rewarding things in life. Amidst the excitement, however, their flying of the nest will leave a noticeable void. While it’s natural to feel a little emotional during the first few days, it’s vital that you find a way to fill the time and embrace new routines. Otherwise, your life will suddenly become very dull and tedious.

 

Here are four fantastic ways to ensure that you handle this aspect of your new lifestyle in a winning fashion.

 

#1. Focus On Yourself

 

As a parent, you’ve spent the last X amount of years dedicating yourself to your child(ren). It is quite likely that you’ve often overlooked your best interests to do what’s right for them, but now is the time for a shift of mindset.

 

There are many ways to start putting yourself first once more. From unlocking a new sense of style to rediscovering your love of the gym, a boost of self-confidence will work wonders. Above all else, it’ll encourage you to be positive and achieve more things.

 

Give yourself the TLC you deserve, even if it’s simply through regular pampering sessions. You won’t regret it.

 

#2. Help Others

 

Your kids might not be entirely dependent on you any longer, but that doesn’t mean that they won’t still want your support in various scenarios. As for the rest of your time, why not focus on helping others in need?

 

This can manifest itself in many ways. From completing a volunteering scheme to joining a charity event, this new sense of focus will keep you occupied. Better still, it’ll satisfy your natural maternal instincts of needing to help out.

 

And if you believe in karma, doing your bit for society can only be a step in the right direction too.

Pixabay Helping others is the best way to help yourself.

 

#3. Start A Side Business

 

Even if you already work a full-time job, there’s no doubt that earning more money will appeal. When added to the fact that you’ll now have more time on your hands too, this is the perfect opportunity to finally launch a side hustle.

 

Online interactions provide an opportunity to run the business from the comfort of your home. Meanwhile, jewelry dropshippers let you sell products without ever handling stock. This is particularly ideal when your space or capital are limited.

 

If things go very well, it may even be possible to turn this into your primary source of revenue.

 

#4. Invest In Your Relationship

 

Having kids doesn’t stop you from loving your partner. However, it does put you in a position where it’s easy to take love for granted. Romance can be pushed to one side for several years, but now is the time to reignite the flames.

 

Holidays and trips away are the perfect way to do the things you’ve always wanted as a couple. However, simple ideas such as home-based dates and romantic meals can be highly beneficial too. This can be a truly golden time in your life.

 

You’ll still be there for when your kids need you, but embracing the new lifestyle is crucial for your physical and mental health. Do not forget it.

This entry was posted in Family.

Are You Needing to Care for Ageing Parents?

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If you’re in the position of needing to care for an aging parent, then there’s a good chance you feel like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders – and their ill health could quickly start affecting your own health unless you get some support.

 

Often, when it comes to our parents we feel the need to take everything on ourselves, particularly if we work from home, but just like how an airline pilot reminds us we need to attend to our own oxygen mask first before helping others, you need to do the same with your own health – and it’s, therefore, important you don’t shoulder the responsibility on your own and get some independent home care for your parent(s).

 

The challenge with home care, however, is that of finding a suitable carer that is also affordable, and a lot of this comes down to their nature.

 

Essentially, you’ll need to establish the prospective carer’s suitability on a number of levels, which can be broken down into the following five areas:

 

SAFETY & SECURITY

There are a number of horror stories where carers take advantage of vulnerable patients, particularly the elderly, in the context of financial gain and manipulation.  These are rare, and most carers are professional yet the safety and security pertaining to this aspect are of paramount importance.

 

Has the prospective carer been fully vetted?  Do they have contactable references from previous patients or the family of previous patients… make sure you check the references, as you’ll be amazed by how many people use fake references.

 

RELIABILITY

Reliability is a critical component when it comes to home health care.  Also, if you’re working with an agency will there be consistency in terms of having one regular carer.  The relationship between carer and patient is reasonably intimate and it’s important the emotional side of the relationship is considered in terms of reliability and consistency too – is the carer a positive, uplifting and stable person; or are they emotionally all over the place?

 

CARE AND COMPASSION

Does the motivation from the carer come from a place of genuine care and compassion or is it simply a job to pay the bills?  Do they have a personal experience where their lives were perhaps touched by an amazing carer who inspired them to get into the profession or was it a career choice that was more forced from financial necessity or low grades at school?

 

SPECIALIST EXPERTISE

There are different types of carers and each genre will have specialist skills in specific areas.  

 

You want to make sure you work with a carer that is experienced with the particular issue your parent(s) suffers from. What sort of training has the care worker received?  What qualifications and experience do they have in the specific area they will be working on with regard to your parent(s)?  

 

Within medicine and health care, the best practice is constantly evolving so you will want to make sure the carer has an up-to-date knowledge and engages in regular learning.

 

A GOOD FIT

The most important aspect to look for in a care provider is for there to be a good fit with the patient; meaning there is a natural sense of rapport and mutual respect.

This entry was posted in Family.

9 Signs to Look For In Aging Parents

Our first priority should be to make sure that we’re feeling happy, confident, and that we’re enjoying life. However, this isn’t the only concern we should have. While life might be tough for us, we can at least feel that the future can be brighter if we make certain changes. The true might not be said of our parents, who can often feel left behind once their children have left home. And because we’re living our own lives, we sometimes can’t see them as much s we’d like to. So when we do spend time with them, we need to make sure that they’re happy and not in any undiagnosed medical difficulties. Below, we take a look at ten things you should be looking out for when you’re with your mom and dad.

Source: Pexels.com

 

How’s their Weight?

 

The next time you visit your parents, get right in there and give them a big hug. Of course, this is just a nice thing to do – humans need physical contact. It makes us happy! But there’s another reason: you’ll be able to see if they’ve lost any weight. When people get older, they tend to eat less than they ate during their golden years, but sometimes it can be indicative of something more sinister. There are a whole host of health issues connected to weight loss in the elderly, so if you suspect that they’ve been losing weight, investigate further to get to the bottom of the cause.

 

Who Are They Talking With?

 

One of the simplest yet most effective things you can ask your parents when you see them is: who have you been speaking to recently? This is especially important if one of your parents is deceased. Loneliness in people in retirement is a massive problem, one that’s not as widely discussed as it should be. People can often go days without speaking to another soul. Loneliness isn’t just a social problem, either – it has knock-on effects to a person’s health – lonely people die younger than people who are not lonely, though why this should be isn’t fully understood. If you suspect one or both of your parents of being lonely, encourage them to join groups that cater for people of their age.

 

Struggling with Memories

 

Everyone’s memories can be faulty. But if one of your parents is severely struggling with their recall and are generally acting confused, then it might be a sign of a more serious issue – Alzheimer’s. As Alzheimer’s symptoms progress, the sufferer will begin to exhibit other unusual behaviors, which can seem “out of character” to people who know them best. If your mom or dad is beginning to show the early signs of the condition, consult with a doctor immediately.

 

Stress-Related Issues

 

A person’s golden years should be the most enjoyable of their life, but sadly, this isn’t always the case. Stress can be a real problem, and it’s usually because of one specific problem – money, or lack of. When you’re around at your parent’s home, look for signs of financial difficulties. Are they reluctant to put the heating on when it’s cold? Do they have a lot of unopened bills that look like bills? Is there food in the fridge? If the answers to all of these questions are yes, then it could be that they don’t have enough money to enjoy a good quality of life. If you’re in a position to help financially, then do so. If you’re not, then you can talk to the companies to whom they owe money, and try to establish more favorable conditions.

 

Lack of Meaning

 

Your parents have likely always had something to hold onto in their life. They were working, and then they were raising children, and so on. They served a purpose that was larger than themselves. Once they retire and their children leave home, these “reasons for being” are removed. Boredom sets in and can be hard to break out of if they don’t have any apparent motivation to move themselves to something better. You can help them to overcome this feeling by, well, reminding them of their value. They raised you, now’s the time to tell them how much you admire and respect them for it.

 

Difficulty Getting Around

 

No-one’s going to stay up and mobile their entire life. The body begins to break down eventually. While this isn’t necessarily the worst thing in the world, it does present some problems. For example, your parents will be at an increased chance of falls and other physical hazards. If you notice that they’re struggling to get around the home in the same way that they used to, look at adding some mobility assistance around the house, in the form of banisters, railings, and stairlifts.

 

Low Moods

 

Your parents are going to be dealing with big concerns in their life. Even if they were once high-spirited, eternally happy souls, there’s no guarantee that they won’t sink into low moods during their later years. If one of your parents seems to be depressed, talk it out. Some people can be brought back to the positive side of life with just a conversation; though of course, in some cases, more professional help may be required.

 

Changing the Subject

 

Older people are more set in their ways than the young. They can be stubborn. While this is mostly harmless, on occasion, it can be risky. For example, is one of your parents stubbornly refusing to see a doctor, even though you think they obviously need to see one? It might be illustrative of a deeper problem. Again, talking it out – with plenty of sympathy and care – is the right starting point.

 

Emotional Outpouring

 

On the other hand, sometimes otherwise closed parents can become unexpectedly open later in life. If your parents seem more willing to talk about emotional issues, even if it’s in the form of “confessions” of their life, then let them talk. It won’t always be easy to hear, but it’s better than they get it off their chest.