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Everything is fine—and then it happens. You get a call in the middle of the night to say that your older parent who is 3,000 kms away has fallen and is in the hospital. Or, your mother, who lives across the province, calls you to say she can no longer cope with your father’s illness.<br>
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4 tips for caring for aging parents from a distance Everything is fine—and then it happens. You get a call in the middle of the night to say that your older parent who is 3,000 kms away has fallen and is in the hospital. Or, your mother, who lives across the province, calls you to say she can no longer cope with your father’s illness. Many adult children take responsibility to care for their older parents and other relatives, even when they living in different cities, provinces, or even countries. This poses a number of challenges for the children and the parents. We’ve developed some tips that will help alleviate the stress and worry that comes with caring for parents from a distance. 1. Arrange help Speak with your parent or parents and determine what they need help with. You may receive some resistance, because it’s not easy to accept the need for help, especially from family members who are not able to visit often. Once you have determined what type of help you need, seek out resources in their community, things like: In-home care Day programs Cleaning services Meals delivery
Transportation services Rehab and physiotherapy services Information about most of these types of programs and services can be found online. 2. Be prepared Work with your parents to collect the necessary medical, financial, and legal information that you would need to have on hand in case of an emergency. This includes: Doctor’s name and contact information Medications and prescriptions Insurance information Banking information and pension numbers It also doesn’t hurt to keep a copy of their local phone book on hand, just in case. 3. Gather support Identify family, friends, clergy, and others who are close by and might be able to check in on your parents from time to time. On your next visit, introduce yourself to these people and get their contact information. This way, if you ever can’t reach your parent, you can call these people to see if they have been in touch or can stop by to check on them. 4. Be sensitive Going through this process can be emotional and frustrating for the parents so it’s important to maintain a positive focus. Try to emphasize how the services you have arranged for them will actually help them remain independent. Sometimes it’s helpful to have someone your parents know and respect recommend the service. 5. Take care of yourself Although you’re focused on taking care of your parents, it’s important to also take care of yourself. Get support or counseling if you need it find healthy ways to alleviate the stress you feel about the circumstances. Accept that it’s impossible to be everything to everyone. Ask for help when you need it. Most importantly, give yourself credit for doing the best you can even though you are at a distance. Reliable homecare services, like those provided by CarePros Homecare Services can give you peace of mind that your loved one is in good hands.
