It’s hard to believe we are already more than half way through the first month of 2014. I hope you all had a lovely holiday season and this year is already off to a good start. Since you probably spent a good amount of time around your parents over the holidays, this is the perfect time to think about how they are living day to day and how you can help them address some of their challenges.
- Did you notice they had a more difficult time with housekeeping than they have had in the past? Offer to hire a cleaning service once a month to do the more difficult tasks. Position it as a thank you for all they’ve done for you so they don’t think you feel they are no longer capable.
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- Did you notice fall hazards or unsafe areas in the home? Offer to spend an afternoon with them refreshing their home for the New Year. Tape down power cords, remove rugs or get non-slip pads for underneath the rugs. Make sure there isn’t clutter around the stove top to eliminate a potential fire risk. Check out this FEMA site for tips on fire safety: http://www.usfa.fema.gov/citizens/older/retire.shtm
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- Did you notice mom or dad seem a bit unsafe behind the wheel? Consider looking into transportation services such as TLC Senior Ride (www.tlcseniorride) and discuss the options with them. Between family and friends, private services like ours, or city-funded services, your parents should still be able to maintain their active lifestyle even if they give up the keys.
In the next few weeks, I will help you address the challenge of having the dreaded “should you still be driving” conversation with your parents. While the topic is not one anyone wants to broach with their parents, it is a very important discussion to have for their safety, as well as others.
