Last Sunday, I visited my 80-year-old paternal aunt. I had not seen her for over a year. We were so happy to see each other that we couldn’t help crying. My aunt is aging quite gracefully thanks to her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. They do their best to take care of their elderly parent.
Apparently, my aunt like many other elderly people has health issues including high blood pressure and backache. She also doesn’t like eating nutritious food.
She prefers sweet, unhealthy stuff such as cakes, biscuits, and lots of sugar in her tea, etc. She is also always cold and thus has to dress warmly even when it’s hot.
As I watched my cousins trying to take care of their elderly mom, I got the inspiration to write this article.
Watching them reminded me of my siblings and me. We tried to take care of our elderly parents in the best way we could until they passed on.
So, when it comes to taking care of elderly parents, I’ve been there, done that. I helped to take care of my late dad, mom, and mother-in-law.
Why You Should Take Care of Your Elderly Parents
Taking care of your elderly parents is no mean feat. You need to sacrifice your time, energy, finances, etc.
If you’re not careful, taking care of your elderly parents could drain you emotionally, physically, and financially.
Having said that, I believe it’s important to take care of your elderly parents. Here’s why you should take care of your elderly parents.
1. Taking Care of Your Elderly Parents is Morally Good
I believe that taking care of your elderly parents is morally good. I know this view may differ from one individual to the other. You see, these are your parents regardless of what kind of parents they were. They gave birth to you, loved you, and took care of you.
It’s only morally good to take care of them when the need arises.
In this case, your actions can be driven by a sense of duty, gratitude, and love. It’s a way of giving them back some of the nurture, care, and love they’ve given you over the years.
Taking care of your elderly parents could lead to an awesome full-circle experience.
2. Taking Care of Your Elderly Parents Helps You Tap Parental Blessings
I know some of you may agree with this reason while others might not. It all depends on your culture, beliefs, etc. I believe that taking care of your elderly parents helps you to tap parental blessings.
You see, as you take care of your elderly parents in whatever way, they are grateful and happy with you. They smile, say nice things about you, and thank you from the bottom of their hearts. Their words and feelings could somehow become a blessing over your destiny and your life.
On the flip side, suppose you neglect your parents in their old age. In that case, their lamentations about you may haunt you later in life.
Have you heard of these phrases? “Karma is real. What you sow is what you reap. What goes around comes around”? In other words, when you do good deeds, you’re likely to receive something good in return. When you do bad deeds, you’re likely to receive something bad in return.
So, taking care of your elderly parents can lead to something good – someone could take care of you in your old age.
Not taking care of your parents in old age could lead to something bad – your family could neglect you in your old age.
3. Taking Care of Your Elderly Parents Helps You Tap God’s Blessings
Another reason you should take care of your elderly parents is because by so doing, you tap God’s blessings. If you are spiritual, you know that God requires you to honor your parents. Honoring your parents includes loving, respecting, providing, and caring for them in their old age.
I believe in Deuteronomy 5:16. “Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the LORD your God is giving you”.
When you take care of your elderly parents, you please God. As a result, he blesses you in his own way and in his own time. He also blesses you with a long life, and everything goes well with you, even in your old age.
4. Caring For Your Elderly Parents Helps Them Age Gracefully
When you take care of your elderly parents, you help them to age gracefully. Suppose your parents age gracefully. In that case, they have the emotional and physical health to enjoy their life as they age. They can age gracefully if only you give them the right care.
You see, as parents age, they are unable to take good care of themselves. This is because some of them may be sickly or are not strong enough to care for themselves well. This is where you come in.
Here are things you can do to help your aging parents age gracefully:
- Ensure that they keep physically strong by doing simple exercises regularly.
- Ensure they stay healthy by eating a nutritious diet regularly.
- Make sure they take their medication.
- Ensure they don’t miss their visits to the doctors.
- Ensure they have company so that they are not lonely.
- Visit and call them regularly to minimize their loneliness.
Remember that if your parents don’t age gracefully, they may die prematurely. That would be really unfortunate.
5. Caring For Your Elderly Parents Sets a Good Example To Others
Another reason why you should take care of your elderly parents is because you set a good example to others. It doesn’t matter whether your parents were good or bad. It also doesn’t matter whether other people are taking care of their elderly parents. You can change the world in your own small way by taking care of your elderly parents.
You see, when you take care of your elderly parents, your children, and the future generations can learn something. They can learn about the importance of inter-generational support and family. You thus set a good example for them.
Actions speak louder than words. If you set a good example, your children are likely to take care of you in your old age the way they saw you take care of your parents. Other young people who saw you taking care of your elderly parents could also decide to follow your good example.
As Mahatma Gandhi said, “Be the change you want to see in the world around you”.
6. Caring For Your Elderly Parents Gives You Peace of Mind After They Are Gone
A parent’s death affects each child differently. Some children may mourn more than others. If you didn’t take care of your elderly parents when they were alive, there’s a chance of developing guilty feelings later in your life. The guilty feelings can haunt you forever.
Sometimes when I think about my late dad, mom, and mother-in-law, I ask myself whether I took good care of them. I also ask myself if there’s something I should have done differently for them. I’m at peace knowing that I cared for them in their old age as I humanly could.
If you don’t want to have guilty feelings when your parents are gone, take care of them from today onward. You’ll definitely be at peace even after they are gone.
7. Taking Care of Your Elderly Parents Prevents Them From Dying From Loneliness
Taking care of your elderly parents includes ensuring they are not lonely or socially isolated. Suppose your elderly parents become lonely and socially isolated. In that case, they could die prematurely from loneliness.
You see, when elderly people are lonely and socially isolated, they could develop serious health issues. These health issues include dementia, depression, anxiety, fear, heart disease, and stroke, among others.
Now, you don’t want your elderly parents to die from loneliness, do you? One way of caring for them is to ensure that they are not lonely or socially isolated.
Here are things you can do to ensure your elderly parents are not lonely or socially isolated:
- Call them regularly to check on them and cheer them up.
- Visit them regularly and organize other family members to visit them too.
- Ensure there is someone who lives with them or checks in on them daily.
- Arrange for them to attend their normal social activities such as church, bridge group, arts & crafts, etc.
- Reassure them of your love for them whenever you talk with them or meet them.
When you ensure your elderly parents are not lonely, it gives them hope. They look forward to each day with joy, peace, and contentment instead of uncertainty and dread.
9. Take Care of Your Elderly Parents Because Their Remaining Time May Be Short
Let’s face it, your aging parents have been around longer than you. Their remaining time may be short because the older we grow, the closer we draw near to our end.
Why not make your elderly parents’ final years on earth the most comfortable, happiest, and most peaceful. You can do this by making sure that you love and care for them in the best way you can up to their final breath.
Conclusion
Taking care of your elderly parents includes taking care of their social, emotional, and daily needs. When taking care of your elderly parents, sometimes you can feel drained emotionally, physically, and financially. My encouragement is that you should never give up.
I hope these 8 amazing benefits of taking care of your elderly parents will help you to keep on keeping on. All the best and cheers!
What are your comments or thoughts about taking care of your elderly parents? Kindly comment in the comments section below. We’re all ears!
Also read: 6 Simple Ways You Can Show Kindness to Others; Kindness is Rewarding
1 Comment
Beautiful piece