Retiring should mean entering your golden years, where you finally have time to do what you have always wanted to do, like travel. Retiring should not mean that you become increasingly dependent and even babied as you age.
Feeling in control and like you can still do the things that you want, even as your health becomes more complicated, is how you can live out a happy retirement. It is imperative for your self-image, your wellbeing, and your happiness, and as such should be prioritized by all of your loved ones.
Enjoying retirement years like this is what every child should wish for their parents, which is why you need to follow these tips on how to help your loved one maintain their independence:
How to Help Them Stay Financially Independent
One of the biggest worries when it comes to retirement is whether or not you will outlive your savings. You can help them with this worry by finding them a new way to use their assets to their benefit. Rather than selling their home in order to increase their savings, for instance, you can help them rent out their home and finding a retirement community to move in instead. Ideally, the rent from the house should cover the cost of keeping their old home as an investment property as well as the rent for their new apartment. When combined this can help them use their savings for things that they want to do, rather than to help them live.
Other ways you can help them stay financially independent is to move them in with you. This will again help them out by eliminating their monthly costs need to upkeep the home, allowing them to instead spend their money on trips or presents for their grandkids. However, be prepared for such a change in your lifestyle; you may wish to go over some ground rules before moving them into your home.
How to Help Them with Their Health
So long as your parents are fit and physically able, they should be able to take care of themselves without a problem. Where things get complicated, however, is when their health takes a turn for a worse, and they require daily care. Thankfully, there are many different options to choose from, including assisted living and even at-home care. At-home care, in particular, can be very beneficial to your parent because it means they can receive the medical attention they need while still living independently and staying in a familiar place.
Where at-home care really shines, however, is with the CDPAP NYC program that allows patients to choose who their personal assistant is. This means that you can be nominated by your father and then undergo the training needed in order to take care of him. You can even get a stipend back from Medicaid for your work, especially if you needed to take time off work in order to take care of your loved one.
There are so many ways to help your loved one maintain their independence. Generally speaking, however, you should always start by asking what they want to do. Offering suggestions is great, but ultimately you must respect their decision.
