When did they start looking so old? You keep thinking of them being the same two people they were when you were in high school, but they're not. One day you just looked up and your parents were older or had become ill. That's when it hits you, that you might have to take care of them, like they once have taken care of you. Now is the time to start making plans and restructuring your life in order to be able to take care of your parents.
The first thing you need to do if possible is talk with your parents to see what plans they have made for their future. No one wants to get older or sick where they can't take care of themselves, but sometimes in life that will happen. When you realize that has happen to your parents, its time to stop and talk to them about their future. Have they provided a way for themselves to be taken care of from illness or if they have become to old to take care of themselves? Will you be totally responsible for their well being in the future? Have a family discussion about their future plans, so everyone will know where they stand. Once the decision has been made that you will take care of them from old age or illness, you should start preparing your life for that right then. Taking care of your parents is going to be a big adjustment for you and your family.
Having your parents move into your house will mean changes for everyone. Once you feel they will be at an age where someone else will have to take care of them, start preparing your household now. Start putting into place right now their living arrangements, especially if they're going to be living with you. Everyone in your household need to start adapting to this living arrangement before they actually move-in. You might have to make changes to your household from reconstruction of your property for more space, to adapting to having extra people in your house. If possible try to have separate living quarters built for your parents so the can still have some privacy, along with you. If your parents have to go to a nursing home start looking around now for a place. You want them to be somewhere, where you and them both can feel comfortable and it's convenient for you to get to them. Don't wait until the last minute and just put them anywhere. Start looking early for the right place that will meet all of their requirements. If your parents are going to live with you because of an illness, start setting up your household for whatever they might need to be comfortable through-out their illness. If they need special equipment or a nurse, start arranging that in plenty of time and not at the last minute before they have to move-in. Having an area set-up with the right equipment for all of their medical needs will make their stay more comfortable and healthy. Changes like that to your household don't need to happen overnight, you and your family need time to prepare mentally and physically for these changes. Planning ahead for this is the best way for everyone to deal with this change that will affect everyone's life. When the realization finally does happen that your parents can't take care of themselves anymore, this will be hard for the both of you.
Watching our parents turn older or becoming ill is one of the hardest things we have to go through. In your eyes you want to always see your parents, young, active and alert, unfortunately that won't happen. As time go on they will get older or sick with something and need you more than ever. Start facing that situation right now and not when it's to late. As you get older, you start realizing they are getting older and they are coming to a place in their life that more and more each day they will need you. Once you realize this, this is the time to start preparing your life to take care of your parents for as long as you possible can. That's the one thing all of us want to do is to provide for the people we love, when they can't provide for themselves. Taking care of your parents will make you feel good and if you have children, it will be a good
example for them. Who knows, one day they just might have to take care of you.
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