Due to certain reasons, many people around the world have to live far from their elderly parents. This is followed by many problems for both parents and children. On the one hand, parents feel lonely and deserted. On the other hand, children might feel guilty for abandoning their parents. This article discusses six ways to help your elderly parents while residing in another country, hence reducing your anxiety. Depending on your situation, you can try some or all of them and see which ones suit your situation better.
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Help them join you
Perhaps the best option you can go for is to pave the way for your parents to join you. Normally, after spending four or five years in another country, you can apply for a permanent visa and become an eligible resident of that country. This, of course, depends on the country you’re living in as well as your financial status. After becoming a permanent resident, you have the right to apply for a visa for your parents. For example, if you’re living in Australia, you can invite your parents to Australia, and they can apply for the aged parent visa 804. It is always difficult to leave your home country and much so when you do it at old age. Therefore, your parents will face new challenges for a few months. Still, their overall life condition would be much better as they now have your constant attention. If you cannot get a visa for them, consider the following tips.
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Hire a nurse
Old age brings along physical and mental issues. Depending on how healthy one’s lifestyle has been, each person is bound to go through certain levels of health problems. There is no denying that elderly people need constant care and attention as they can no longer handle their own issues. In many cases, elderly people tend to overlook their health issues and pretend to be in a good health condition. At other times, there is no one around to take them for regular check-ups. Therefore, hiring a nurse to check on them from time to time seems inevitable. As responsible children who appreciate what their parents have done for them, you might feel guilty for abandoning them when they most needed you. By hiring a nurse, you can at least make sure that there is someone around to care for their most essential needs and hence feel less guilty.
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Provide them with financial support
Losing their agility for long, the elderly cannot work and consequently do not have a good source of income. Some might live on their pension while others have no choice other than economising on their expenses. On the other hand, prices rise permanently and worsen the situation. Keeping this in mind, you should always know that your parents, sooner or later, will need financial support, and you’re the one who should help. To make sure that poverty will not put its dirty finger on your parents’ doorbell, put aside some money every month and transfer it to their bank account so that they can use it in due time. Remember, the amount of money you send them is not important. Knowing that they have someone to count on gives them much comfort and hope. This is all the elderly need to cope with old age troubles.
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Contact them on a regular basis
The elderly long for attention, and when the attention comes from a loved one, they embrace it with much greed. The fact that you’ve left them hurts enough. Let’s not make it worse by not contacting them for several weeks or months. Receiving a phone call every other day from you would mean the world to them as it gives them the feeling that they are still important to you. You don’t need to think much about finding a reason to call or a topic to discuss. Just ask about regular stuff such as how they’ve passed their day, who’s visited them, and if they need something. You can also tell about things you’ve been doing.
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Consider annual visits
Living in a country other than yours has its own problems. You might experience tense financial issues for a while. For several years you may not be able to live the way you like and devote most of your time to your work. After two or three years, however, you should be able to visit your parents at least once a year. Spending a week or two with your parents every year gives them enough energy to go on without you for months. It’s also the perfect time for you to attend to their needs and provide them with what they need. You never know if the house needs some mending or there are unpaid bills. You can take them for an annual check-up to ensure that the nurse you’ve hired has been taking care of them properly. Also, you can take them on a short trip to help them face out the challenges old age has brought upon them.
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Ask your friends to help.
Not receiving many guests or visitors might give your parents the idea that they’re no longer important to others and everyone has forgotten them. Elderly people love to see visitors standing on their doorstep every now and then. Being all by themselves day after day makes life too monotonous to bear. Besides, somebody should do their shopping and other house-related chores. You can ask your close friends to stop by and have a little chat with your parents to see if they need anything. This might seem too much to ask, but good friends always do that. In case there is no one around, consider hiring a part-time servant to attend to your parent’s needs.
Conclusion
Living thousands of miles away from your elderly parents might make you feel guilty about abandoning them. In this article, we provided six tips to help your elderly parent from overseas. Depending on your situation, you might want to try one or all of them. Hopefully, they work out for you.
