4 Things To Expect As Your Parents Age

There will always be a point in your life when you notice your parent’s age far more than you used to. The point this occurs will depend on when your parents had you. For some people, it will occur far later than others because their parents had children earlier in life. For others, this point will occur much sooner. So, what changes should you expect once you reach this point? 

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More Injuries

You might find that your parents do develop more injuries once they reach a certain age. Why is this? Well, there are a few reasons including the fact that as we age our bodies become far more susceptible to damage. It can also take longer for our bodies to heal as well. So, it’s important to ensure that you are considering this carefully. It may be worth thinking about making changes to your parent’s home to ensure that injuries are going to be less likely. 

Trouble With Mobility 

This does connect with another point that you may need to be prepared for. It’s possible that as parents age they do struggle with levels of mobility and this can impact their independence. They might need more support from you, even with some of the most basic tasks such as the weekly shop. You should be working to ensure that you are providing the support that your parents need. You might also want to consider looking into Stair lift installation costs for their home. Or help them move to a ground floor property. 

Hearing Changes 

It is possible that you notice changes to your parent’s hearing too and this is another common issue. Although hearing trouble is associated with age, it’s worth noting that it can occur at any point in life. Hearing problems are typically harmless but they can have an impact on an individual's mental health. For this reason, it is worth ensuring that your parents do get their hearing tested. You need to make sure they are getting treatment if it is needed. This will make it far less likely that their hearing deteriorates further over a short period. 

Dementia

Finally, you do need to be prepared for the possibility that your parent develops dementia. Dementia becomes far more common as you age. Once you reach eighty, you are more likely to have signs of dementia than not. One of the most common early signs of dementia is people simply phasing out. You could be having a conversation with them and they will drift off, staring out into nothing. They will snap back after a couple of minutes but will have no recollection of what you just said. It can be quite disconcerting to see it happen and it is worth helping them get the medical support that they need. 

We hope this helps you understand some of the changes that you should expect as your parent's age becomes more relevant. It’s important that you don’t avoid these issues. Recognizing them earlier can help you put the right strategies in place.