A long time ago, people often stayed in the same city, town, or village for many generations. However, these times are long gone. Many people leave their hometowns when they are teenagers and are not into the idea of coming back.

But when our parents begin to age and require more care, the idea of coming back begins to make sense. When we move from city to city, from state to state, and sometimes from country to country, we tend to forget that our parents are not going to stay self-sufficient forever.

One day, the situation begins to change. Your parents start to need your help more. They might begin planning on living with you or moving to a nursing home. On the other hand, they might want to stay independent for as long as possible and refuse to move out.

What are the different ways in which you can help your aging parents without having to move or without having them move in? Here is a list of solutions that you might want to take into consideration.

Find Live-In Care

Have you ever heard about live-in carers? If you can afford it, you can hire a person who will live with your parents and support them with their specific needs. Once you do that, you can be sure that your parents are comfortable and independent in their homes.

There are many companies out there that specialize in connecting people with live-in carers, such as HomeTouch. Consequently, you should be able to find a company that will suit both your expectations and your budget in no time. 

Make a List of Emergency Contacts

If your elderly parents live alone, there is a possibility that they will have an accident or a medical emergency in the future. Taking this into consideration, you should make sure that they know what to do in that situation, whether it means calling 911 or a family member who lives nearby. You can make it easier for them by making a list of emergency contacts that they can use in case of an emergency.

Agree on a Checklist

If your elderly parents live alone, you should create a checklist that they can follow in order to stay safe and independent for as long as possible. It should include necessary things, like taking medication, taking a shower, doing the laundry, and so on. That way, your parents will be able to stay healthy and live in a tidy home for a long while.

Make Sure That You Are Updated on Their Medical History

Ideally, you should try to keep yourself updated on the medical history of your parents. If you live far away, call your parents every now and then and ask about their health. Being aware of their medical history will prove to be really helpful if you ever need to figure out what kind of treatment will be best for them or what doctor they should visit in the near future.

Make Sure That They Are Comfortable

Make sure that your elderly parents are comfortable. They might not be able to move around as much as they used to because of mobility issues, but they might still feel the need to feel somewhat independent. You can make it safer for them if you decide to install no-slip strips in their bathtub, apply no-slip wax on the floors, or buy a high-profile toilet.

Call Them More Often

Try to call your parents more often than you usually do. This will make them feel loved and prevent them from feeling abandoned or forgotten. If your parents are hard of hearing or do not like receiving phone calls, you can send them emails or text messages instead.

In Conclusion

As you can see, there are many ways in which you can take care of your parents from far away, ranging from calling them more often to finding a live-in carer. However, remember that you should put in the effort to meet them face-to-face every now and then. 

We all know this feeling of only seeing someone once in a while, only for some time, and then forgetting what they look like. You do not want that to happen to you and your parents, do you? This is what most of us are probably keen on avoiding as much as possible when it comes to our aging parents. 

Instead, you want them to feel safe, happy, comfortable, loved, and cared for. Considering this, you should do your best to put the tips we mentioned above into action.