Your parents are calling your name! More than 18% of the population provides care to their adult relatives. It’s a way for them to give back to the people who provided them and gave them love.

However, caring for elderly parents can still be difficult. Before you roll up your sleeves and get to work, you should get the facts.

How can you create a comfortable environment for your parents? What tasks should you help them with? How can you get support?

Answer these questions and you can master how to take care of your older parents in no time. Here is your quick guide.

Find Good Living Arrangements

Care for an aging parent must take place in a safe home. Many people want to remain in their homes, but they may struggle with climbing stairs or moving objects.

You should install tools in your parents’ home so they can move around the house easily. You should also remove objects that your parents can trip over.

However, if their home is too dangerous, you should move them to a senior care facility. Research “assisted living near me” to look at your options near you.

Promote the Activities of Daily Living

Activities of daily living include basic tasks like self-feeding, personal hygiene, and dressing. They can also include cooking meals, managing money, and maintaining the home.

Evaluate how your parents can perform these activities. They may be capable of performing them, but they may need help from you. You can hold their clothes for them while they change or you can cut vegetables for salads.

If they’re struggling with their senior lifestyle, you can ask a live-in aide to help them out. You can also arrange for a senior care center to send employees to check in on them.

Communicate With Your Family

Your parents should have a say in the care they receive. Talk to them every day if you cannot visit them. Ask them questions about the services they like and put their suggestions into action.

You are not required to care for your parents by yourself. You can ask your siblings, cousins, uncles, and aunts to help you. At a minimum, you should tell them about what you are doing so they are aware of the latest developments.

Take Care of Yourself

You should not burden yourself with your parents’ care. Delegating responsibilities to other family members and live-in aides is one way to unburden yourself.

You should also know what your own limitations are and avoid exceeding them. When you are feeling exhausted or need to take care of your health, you should take a break and get the help you need. You should get several hours of sleep a night and eat full meals.

Start Caring for Elderly Parents

Caring for elderly parents can be easy. You should clear their home of obstacles they can trip on, and you can consider moving them to an elder care facility.

Focus your efforts on the essential activities of daily living. You can call a live-in aide or buy your parents supplies, but only after you get your parents’ permission. You should also talk to your family so someone can fill in for you when you need care for yourself.

Elder care works best when the caretaker knows what to do. Read more guides to elder care by browsing our coverage.