Family Planning Matters

When a disease takes over your loved one's life – will it be your responsibility?

There I was, standing in line at the deli counter waiting for my lunch meat, coffee in my right hand and shopping list in the other, when the man in front of me proceeded to tell the clerk behind the counter that his mother's health was deteriorating and he and his wife had recently decided to move her into their home.

This alone isn't that unusual to hear, especially as rising healthcare costs have more and more baby boomers taking in their ailing parents. Yet the one thing that really struck a chord with me was the fact that he kept repeating the same sentence, “If we didn't take her in, then she would have to go to a nursing home.”

The scene I witnessed really had me thinking – thinking about how pivotal family planning really is in the lives of aging parents.

As I walked down each aisle of the grocery store, I thought about what I would want when I can't take care of myself anymore. Of course this thought has crossed my mind many times before because I've had to face the challenges of aging with my own parents.

One of the many thing that I have learned over the years caring for a parent with Alzheimer's is that families need support. Just like how that little cardboard ring around my coffee stops me from burning my hand, families need to form a circle to protect one another as well. And, just like that man (and his wife) that I overheard in the deli line did for his sick mother.

My advice to all families out there is start being proactive now. Start thinking about what responsibilities you may have as a caregiver as you get older. The more information you collect, the less likely you will get burned by the challenges of aging.

Written by Tonia Roemer, Member of Navacare Team

Navacare helps adult children learn how to protect and prolong their elderly parents' independence by offering FREE resources and information at www.navacarenow.com.