Do you really know what's going on in your parents home?

Several of our parents reside in senior care facilities due to our inability as children to provide full-time care or due to space constraints in our own homes. In some cases, it is the preference of our parents to live independently in a senior care facility. Additionally, strained relationships between parents and children can lead to parents living in senior care facilities.

Some elderly parents residing in nursing homes may have infrequent visits from their children. In a short period of time, a parent may sustain an injury that impairs their mobility. Instead of notifying their children, they choose to remain silent and struggle independently. As weeks pass and you finally visit your parent, you may notice the unkempt state of their living space or room, as their injury hinders their ability to clean and organize properly.

You are surprised when your parent mentions that their neighbors deliver lunch in the afternoon or that some individuals at the facility come by in the morning to assist with tea and a biscuit for breakfast. It comes as a shock to you as you were unaware of the extent of the situation.

The situation I describe, is reality. Incidents like these occur in nursing homes or elderly homes, and in certain instances, the management remains oblivious due to the tight-knit community that covers up such matters.

Even if your parents do not live in an elderly home, but in their own home, you as a child need to visit them regularly. This is the only time that you will see what's going on with them. Even if your parents live with you, they sometimes don't mention everything, and if you do not make time to have tea or coffee with them, you will not pick up on things that they need.

Please, please, please visit your parents as often as you can. Sometimes they need medical help, and other times they need a maid to help them clean the home once a week. Other times they need social time with you or other people, and sometimes your parents need something more urgent.