Caring for Your Aging Parents

I’m in what should be the prime of my life: 44 years old, good health, good marriage, good job, (mostly) good kids. But this phase of life—my turn to be in the middle of the “sandwich generation”—feels far from easy. While my children no longer need diapers or permission slips, they do have harder math homework and driver’s licenses and big-kid problems. Then there are my parents: They’re still independent and managing their own care, but over the past few years, the physical, emotional and mental signs of their aging have become undeniable. Watching my parents grow older and more fragile has been harder than I ever imagined. And now, as I begin to face the questions and issues that come with that, I realize I need help. If you, like me, are caught between driving around your aging parents and teaching your kids how to drive, you might find this expert advice helpful too. How can I support my parents if I don’t live near them? Technology can bridge the miles when you can’t, says Jenni Levy, MD, an advance-planning and end-of-life care advisor in Allentown, PA. The key, she explains, is to use it to actually see your parents on a regular, scheduled basis using whatever app or device works best for them. This could be something like Skype or FaceTime on a smartphone or tablet. But be prepared: Even after they get the hang of it, approximately 85% of your conversations might be on the topic of ?“the FaceTime,” “the Skype” or the evils of newfangled technology. You also run the risk that your parents might learn Facebook too well and send you cat videos all day. But your patience will be rewarded. According to Levy, actually laying eyes on your parents will give you a […]

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