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Check On Your Parents This Holiday Season

The holidays are often the only time of year when the extended family gets together, and those occasions offer you and your siblings an opportunity to check on your parents well-being and discuss your observations together. Do they seem more forgetful or confused? Are they frailer than the last time you saw them? Have they lost too much weight? If you’ve noticed significant changes in their behavior and appearance, it’s time to discuss these concerns with your siblings and then, with all of you together, with your parents as well.

With the exception of sudden and unforeseen medical events, such as a fall or stroke, the need for assistance in aging parents rarely happens over night. However, most families wait until a medical crisis forces major decisions before acting. I’ve observed firsthand that those families who have been prepared end up with better quality care and much less stress — for your parents as well as you, the caregiver.

What does being prepared mean? Here are links to several articles I’ve written on what you can do to get ready and be prepared. It begins with a conversation with your parents. And there’s no time like the present for that first step. 

 

 

 

This is a repost and update from the 2020 Holiday Season. 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS. Wishing you all a Happy and Healthy 2023.