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First off. Lets hear it for the caregivers. You give your all… no glory. Only service. You know who you are… and here at Mother Nature Organics we salute you, respect and thank you for your service to your loved ones.
Now.. my personal story… when you go from being the son that they took care of… to the son who will take care of their parent, wow what a shift! Can you relate?
Where do I start?
Many ideas come to mind when I think of the great responsibility of caring for my elderly parents.
I may think in nursing homes, but luxurious asylums that look like clubs with large gardens, swimming pools, and attractive nurses everywhere, those who ensure a comfortable quality of life for the elderly are not available to everyone. On the other hand, the current pace of life does not allow us to enjoy that time with them so that would be the best way out.
Anyway, in my case, nursing homes are not an option. My parents live alone and are already in their 80s, so chronic diseases arrive and the body, like any other great machinery, begins to fail, urgently requesting replacement of spare parts, lubrication, and maintenance.
I have read a lot about the care of the elderly, but what a great responsibility that comes to me!
Let's see some points that I consider the most important for the care of the elderly.
1.- Nutrition in the elderly.-
Their diet should now be different, and I have many questions that I was able to answer after consulting experts, questions such as:
What vitamin reinforcements are suitable for them? How should their daily eating routine be? There are many multivitamins on the market, but which one is the most recommended for them? Can they continue to eat everything in normal amounts or should I start to replace protein or carbohydrates?
I found the answer by consulting a nutritionist, each person is individual and different. My parents' eating plans are different, my father suffers from diabetes so his intake of sugars and carbohydrates is limited and his diet should be balanced.
My mom can't eat anything green because one of her regular and lifelong pills for her heart issues. So at this point, my recommendation is to take our parents to a nutritionist to provide the appropriate information for each of them.
2.- Regular exercises.-
Their needs have changed, they can no longer ride in a car, it is no longer recommended that they walk alone, or that they make unnecessary physical efforts. However, it is recommended that they are active, which is why Chinese culture gives us certain special exercises for them, such as Tai Chi. Let's see the definition of Tai chi according to Tai Chi for health institute:
An art embracing the mind, body, and spirit - Originating in ancient China, tai chi is one of the most effective exercises for the health of mind and body. Although an art with great depth of knowledge and skill, it can be easy to learn and soon delivers its health benefits. For many, it continues as a lifetime journey.
This technique is ideal for older adults. Specialists also recommend walking for 15 to 30 minutes 3 times a week, this will help the body to stay active, help blood circulation, etc.
3.- Hiring a good health care system.-
This is one of the most important steps, regardless of the country they live in, you must be sure that they have public or private health insurance that can attend them without the need for prior appointments in some kind of emergency.
Parents at a certain age no longer walk as before, so they fall, their eyesight wears out, their teeth require attention and certain conditions appear that you had not programmed could appear.
That is why having the confidence that I will have the specialized support needed when they have an emergency, ambulances, etc. is very important. If we have the economic possibility, the ideal situation is to be able to hire a nurse at home to take care of them and attend to their needs daily, it would be the best.
4.- Regular health checks.-
At that age, it is very common for older people to have some kind of chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, osteoporosis, arthritis, etc., so they should take pills daily and for life. That is why they must have a monthly check-up with their GP so that they can verify that the pills they take are working and whether or not it is advisable to suspend any of them.
Do not skip the visits, these controls must be sacred and untouchable, because in these appointments the doctor checks your vital signs, measures pressure, temperature, performs laboratory analysis, and in this way it is possible to identify in time any disease that may be appearing That is why there is a saying that it is always better to be safe than sorry.
No one said being a son was going to be easy, but I try my best because I love them, it is amazing how the roles of children and parents change over time! But they are worth all the effort, we would like the parents to be eternal.
My name is Christian, and I am here to share with you my life journey… so that you can benefit from my experiences in such uncharted territory. Together we’ll work through it!
