CARING FOR AGING PARENTS.

AGING PARENTS. Adult children often serve as caregivers for aging parents. Are you prepared for the role? Caregivers must monitor the health and independence of their aging parents. Start by evaluating the situation from a caregiver's perspective. Are your parents safe in their home? How well are your parents taking care of themselves? How are your parents' spirits? Are your parents having difficulty getting around? Talk with your parents if you have any concerns about their health or safety. Caregivers must also be prepared for an emergency. Compile a list of your parents' doctors, allergies, medications, surgeries, insurance information and other important details. Discuss long term care, living wills and advance directives. Caregivers face many challenges. If necessary, seek help from other family members or local social service agencies. The foregoing looks good but in real practice what do we have. The vagaries of life and hot pursuit for better life which appears to be available only in the urban centers have now left most aging parents at the mercy and care of good spirited neighbors whose availability is definitely running dry. Current trends paints a gloomy picture of what the future holds for our aging parents. What with the present economic situation which seams to be dealing death blows on profitable jobs which adult children surely needs to keep body and soul together. Where these adult children are not gainfully employed, how on earth does anybody expect them to play there roles of caregivers effectively? Most times I get frightened each time I think of what the future holds for us as we too are aging and God willing, a time will come when are children will be expected to be our caregivers. My fears does not necessarily stem from thoughts of what we will need to give ourselves some comfort in our old age, but the thoughts of things happening the other way round whereby the aged may become the caregivers for the adult children, a roll we may play but for a short time, living the society in desolation. The time for all relevant organs to act is now. All are aspiring to attaining old age and the need to ensure that the society is peopled by well groomed adult children cannot be overemphasized. A stitch in time saves nine.