As your parents get older, the roles start to reverse as they lean on you for more support. With that being said, here is some advice to give your parents as they get older.
We will cover everything from financial advice, to making sure they are still making the most out of their life. When giving advice to your parents it’s important to have a balance between helping them and respecting their boundaries. Therefore, I wrote this blog to share the right advice to give your parents whilst still maintaining boundaries.
Maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle
As parents start to get older, they can get into the habit of lounging around the house and eating what they like due to the amount of extra time they will have. However, it’s essential to maintain a healthy lifestyle which includes watching what you eat and staying active. Doing this will ensure your parents have a better life as they age and can reduce multiple health risks.
Sometimes, it’s up to you to give your parents a nudge in the right direction when it comes to staying healthy and active. A good way to do this is to join them in activities that keep them active.
This could be joining a club such as pilates together and going on a weekly basis, although it’s not the most athletic club it still keeps you active and has great health benefits. If your parents are slightly older, you could meet them once a week for a walk to keep them active without putting too much strain on their bodies.
Create a bucket list
As your parents get older, they will most likely be looking to retire meaning they will have a lot of free time on their hands. Urging them to create a bucket list will help them figure out what they want to do with their time so they don’t get bored.
When getting your parents to create a bucket list, make sure they divide it into two parts. One for short term activities and one for long term activities. For example, each week they could tick something off their short term bucket list whilst saving for a holiday from their long term bucket list.
Having two lists will keep your parents active each week whilst giving them things to look forward to on a long term basis.
Get regular health care checkups
As your parents get older, they will also be at a higher risk of having healthcare problems so encouraging them to go to the doctors for regular checkups will ensure if they have any issues they are spotted early and can be maintained.
It may also be worth talking to them about investing in a private healthcare plan depending on their current health status. Setting up a private health care plan will ensure your parents can get the treatment they need as soon as possible. There are many flexible healthcare plans that cater to most budgets.
Plan for the end of life
Although this is not a discussion you want to have with your parents, end of life planning can save your family thousands when your parents pass. An affordable life insurance policy is a great way to ensure your parents can have the send-off they deserve.
As well as this, it’s also important to talk to your parents about life insurance to ensure your family is financially protected after they pass. There are many life insurance plans out there that offer different types of coverage and pricing so you can help your parents choose the right plan. Be sure to share the differences between whole (accumulative life insurance) and term (instant life insurance) coverage.
This particular task may require you to take a more hands-on approach as end of life planning can be extremely overwhelming. Therefore if your parents are avoiding this subject it may be worth presenting them with some research of your own to help them with the process.
Get your finances in order
As your parents get older, it’s important to remind them to take care of their finances and pay off any debts as soon as possible, especially if they are planning to retire or have retired already.
This may need you to actively get involved and help your parents sort out their finances so they know what their outgoings are and what money they are left with each month. This will ensure they can enjoy the money they have saved over the years and not have any financial burdens hanging over them.
In summary
There are lots of ways that you can help your parents as they get older, but these are my top 5. Following the blog will ensure that you are giving your parents advice whilst avoiding taking control of their life and maintaining boundaries.
The most important advice to give your parents is to plan for further down the line as getting older has its ups and downs. When talking about this, make sure to offer as much help as they need as some tasks such as end of life planning can be daunting and your parents may require extra support.