One area of life that you may have realized is coming sooner than you thought is your parents reaching an age where they may need assistance. Unfortunately, many people wait to handle this issue until their parents are no longer able to take care of themselves, which leads to a lot of confusion. It’s best to take the initiative and ask yourself the four questions above to ensure you have a game plan.
Do They Have a Will?
One of the most challenging subjects for many is determining whether or not their parents have a will. No one likes to talk about what happens after their death. However, it’s necessary to have items sorted out. You should check with your parents to determine if they have a well-established and ensure that all of their assets are properly accounted for.
Do They Require Extra Help?
Your loved ones may require additional assistance as they get older. Whether they are limited by physical or mental disabilities, caring for them can take a lot of time and effort. It’s important that you prevent caregiver burnout by looking for additional help for them. You can decide to either find a professional to come over and care for them regularly, or you may prefer to search for a senior living facility. Whatever decision you choose for your loved one, it is important that you give them the help they require.
Do They Want Assisted Living?
As your parents get older, it’s likely that they’re going to need some help with their day-to-day living. This can be accomplished by having your parents move to a senior living facility or by having a home care expert come to their home. It’s a good idea to talk it over with your parents so that you understand where they would like to live in their later years. Consider visiting some senior living facilities to find one that will suit your parents’ needs. Take some time to ask your loved ones about their preferences so that you can understand what they like and dislike. Once you find a facility that suits their needs, help them create plans so that they can move in comfortably and without any complications.
Do They Have Insurance?
As your parents age, it’s likely that they’re going to need to go to the doctor’s office more often. Additionally, those in their elderly years tend to take more medications on a regular basis. You should determine if your parents have an active insurance policy and get the information for it. This way, you can assist them with handling their medical bills accordingly.
Do They Have a Power of Attorney?
For those who are unaware, a power of attorney is a designated person or group who is given the legal power to make decisions about a person. There are different types of power of attorneys, like a medical POA and a financial POA. You should talk to your parents about establishing someone as their power of attorney so that decisions can be made on their behalf in the event that they can’t make decisions themself.
While you likely don’t want to think about your parents constantly aging, it’s a necessary part of life. It’s best to ask yourself the questions above now so that you can discuss their answers with your parents while they’re able to. By getting these subjects in order now, you’ll have less of a headache later down the road when your parents reach the point where they need your help.
