Services to Hire When an Elderly Parent Loses Their Spouse
This article was written by Jackie Waters of Hyper-Tidy
Losing an elderly parent is one of life’s most difficult challenges. Besides the emotional burden, you carry the strain of taking care of the other parent, which is especially hard when that parent lives miles away. It’s hard to know if they have everything they need, and they might not always update you about their important health changes. They might also be afraid to admit that they need help with their regular routines. Thankfully, many of the day-to-day tasks can be accomplished through local businesses who are familiar with the needs of elderly customers. When you can’t be there yourself, consider hiring these helpful services:
- Landscaping Company
Lawn maintenance is overwhelming and challenging for an elderly person. Unfortunately, they might try to maintain their lawn on their own, which can be dangerous due to extreme temperatures and physical exertion. Instead of allowing them to risk their health, consider finding a local company with a great reputation who can handle their basic landscaping needs.
- Housekeeper
Cleaning the house is a significant amount of work that requires stamina, energy, serious muscle movement, and takes a lot of time. Research a local housekeeper who can commit to a bi-weekly schedule to handle the bulk of the cleaning tasks. This is specifically important during their mourning stage, as dusting little precious objects or finding their late spouse’s belongings can trigger painful memories.
- Financial Advisor
Speak to your parent about their financial situation, and help them set up a financial plan. Budgeting and handling bills may have been tasks that their spouse handled, and they might have trouble locating important paperwork, account information, and passwords. Once you have created a list of the bills and necessities, schedule an appointment with a financial advisor. They can walk your parent through an achievable plan and give you ideas for how you and your parent can handle their money throughout the years to come.
- Counselor
We never outgrow the benefits of counseling. Professional counselors are great for monitoring the mental state of an elderly person. They can walk them through the pain associated with the loss of their spouse and help them realize a stable, happy future. A counselor might also be a great listening ear for a sometimes lonely elderly person.
In-Home Caregiver
Consider hiring an in-home caregiver to take your parent to their doctors appointments, manage a medication schedule, and to help with daily tasks like bathing or changing bandages. Make sure they are also trained in basic first aid practices which are useful in the case of falls, or potential emergency situations. Consider asking them to assess the safety of your parent’s home using this guide, which provides room-by-room risks and ways to increase the safety of each potential hazard.
As an added bonus, this person will become a familiar face in your parent’s home, and will help provide a safer, more family-like environment.
- Lawyer
The conversation of a parent’s living will is never an easy one to have. But if your parent wants to help decide the future of their inheritance, consider hiring a lawyer to help draw up the legal papers. You can at least set-up an initial meeting with an estate attorney to see if it is something your parent is interested in doing.
- Repairman
From a leak under the kitchen sink, to a broken piece of siding, home repairs are inevitable. Home repairs can burden a window or widower, if they are unable to handle them on their own. Find a local repairman who is skilled in multiple types of home repairs and who can be on standby for all of the little chores than a home demands.
Make sure you and your parent both have the contact information for all of the services you wish to employ. It will make it easier for your parent to contact them if you keep one concise list in a specific location, or keep copies of the list in each room of their home. Their latter days still have the potential to be better than their former. Let them live their life peacefully while others help manage their well-being.
