Older Parents

My mother is ninety-four years old now. Up until a month ago she was able to take care of herself pretty good. She did the cooking along with still driving a car and having different activities.

A month ago she came down with the flu along with having a wound in one of her legs which has been real bother for her. She has been going to Urgent Care to have bandage changed every day for the last couple weeks; however, the wound has not gotten any better. One thing I have learned the last month is that when someone is older it is harder to recover from any illness no matter the size of it.

I have been living with her for several years after she had taken a fall. It is another thing you have to watch for when a parent gets older. I have heard from several people who have had older parents fall. My mother has a life line that she can reach if she falls or any other emergency when I am not around.

I am sure if I am not around she would have gone into an assistant living facility or had someone come in to fix her meals. It is a blessing that my mother still has her mental capacity.  Not everyone her age is so blessed. Though she has a wound she still can get around a little bit. She uses a walker around the apartment and a cane when she goes out.

She was pretty much home bound with the flu. As she says not the greatest Christmas or New Year’s she has experienced. This week she has been able to get out and see friends along with playing bridge. The thing I have had to do the most of is keeping her spirits up. I believe the hardest thing for older people is to have social contact. It is easy for them to get lonely. In our family my mother is the only one left in her generation, and I am sure it is common for many others in her age range. Next week I will be taking her into a wound rehab center in Tacoma. Hopefully they will be able to get her back into good condition.

When I was in my young years my dad’s father lived with us. He had a place downstairs with its own kitchen and bedroom. He died when I was nine so I do not remember a lot. I am sure he was happy that he had family around to help support him. He was younger than my mother when he passed away. His wife died when I was thirteen months old. She was in her early sixties when she passed away. We had an older neighbor across the street that he had known for some time so they were able to talk on a regular basis.

I recommend if you have older parents to be sure they are OK. It is not the easiest thing to see them get older. This is especially true if they have lost their minds or have physical problems as well. It is important that they get some contact with other people of all ages. It is important that they see their grand or great grand children as well.

I am sure things will get more difficult with my mother as time goes by. Hopefully, when it is her time to go she will still have her mind. Another thing it is important to respect your parents. Get as much knowledge and wisdom from them. Though they maybe old they still have things to offer. It is important they realize it as well. Remember you want to feel the same way when you are old.