Last updated: July 13, 2026
No one likes to think of their parents ageing. After all, they are the ones who have looked after you for your entire life. Thinking of them not being able to care for themselves is a huge change to the relationship and can be a worrying time for everyone.
However, leaving things till the last minute can make the situation even more awkward and stressful than it needs to be. But these tips can help you plan for when your parents’ ageing starts to impact their lives.
Start The Conversation Early
Bringing the topic up before you need concrete plans can enable you to work with your parents to find out what they want and need as their health and abilities change. While they’re still well enough and independent enough to discuss this means you get to understand what type of support they would like in different circumstances, and you can learn how they envision this stage of their life to look like.
It is decisions, such as their living arrangements, if they want to access home care services to allow them to live independently for longer, or if they prefer to move into a supportive living facility. And even whether things like medical directives or Power of Attorney are required.
Know Options
The thing is, when people reach a certain age, services can change, what type of help or support they can rely on might look different, and you might not always be able to get what you need if you leave things too late.
Take the time now to understand your options for their care moving forward, should the time come to use it. Resources like Care.com can help you figure this out, and can even help arrange caregiving services and similar options, which is why they’re always worth looking into.
What help will they be entitled to from the government, if any?. What accommodation options are available, and what will they be required to pay for, ie, do they need to sell their home to fund living in a care home, should they need dedicated care for conditions like dementia or Alzheimer’s?.
Review Their Abilities
You need to be constantly evaluating their current living set-up and abilities. Can they cope with basic chores around the house and hygiene? Are they eating well or skipping meals, or are standards slipping? It can be small things at first, such as not brushing their hair every day or not washing the dishes immediately after eating, as they used to, or the garden getting more overgrown when usually it’s their pride and joy.
These are indicators that they’re struggling, and if you know what they might need help with, you can look for options that are beneficial sooner rather than later.
Get Finances and Paperwork in Order
For many people, the reality of their parents being able to handle paperwork or finances is dangerously close. This can be due to many reasons, but most likely a decline in cognitive function, health or memory changes.
Before things progress to a point that you are unable to control, discuss with your parents topics such as who will be the Lasting Power of Attorney for them, as this will need to be set up while they still have mental capacity. An LPA is beneficial for making both medical and financial decisions on your parents’ behalf.
Talk about things like a DNR if they don’t wish for excessive medical measures to extend their life, e.g., being put on a ventilator. And make sure you know their financial situation so you can manage this for them, so you’re not starting from scratch at a time when things are changing drastically.
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