I participated in this program on behalf of Aetna and The Motherhood. All opinions are my own.
The holidays always bring about a sense of nostalgia for me, and a yearning to be the arms of my family once more. We’re unable to travel to see them this weekend for Thanksgiving, so I’m sitting here, saddened, counting the days until we see them, hopefully next month.
Even before becoming a mother, I always worried about my parents and their health. My mother suffered debilitating migraines when I was small, and seeing my mother hurt and in pain scared me. It scares me even now. My dad’s shoulder surgery from pitching for a baseball league, forcing him to quit, that pain and those things stick with you. I’ve done so much to ensure our health so that my kids don’t ever see me sick and hurting, but it’s tough to still be a daughter and not be able to help or care physically for your parents so far away.
Are you worried about your aging parents as I am? I sure I’m not alone. If you are worried like I am, perhaps take the time this holiday when visiting to discuss their health and plan of action? Maybe make some health goals for the new year? I know I’m contemplating getting my parents a FitBit or some other similar device, and maybe making it a challenge to one-up each other with daily steps? I don’t know, but I sure like the idea.
Another thing to discuss over the holiday is insurance coverage. Ensure your parents health needs are covered, and that they’re making the most out of their coverage, too. Perhaps taking the time to see if their coverage is meeting their needs, and see if other coverage, like AetnaMedicare.com, could help them better, especially with chronic or pre-existing conditions?
Did you know, out of 5000 grandparents interviewed, one out of four said their biggest health concern was paying for health care? Almost one in five said their biggest health concern was managing a chronic condition. I know first hand that my parents are worried about both of these, too. This isn’t a position they or any grandparent should be in, though. You can almost always make a chronic condition better – in most cases, chronic illnesses get better when you take care of them better. I’m hoping to help my parents in any way that they need me to, so we can make their issues better, too.
40% of grandparents say that exercise is the hardest health habit to form now, that if they could do it all over again, they’d have started exercising more regularly 20 years ago. This really has me focusing on making exercise and fitness a priority, not only for myself and my husband (given in 20 years we’ll be grandparents, and our time is now), but for my children, too. I want my kids to grow up strong and healthy, so they hopefully stay active, even in old age, and don’t have this regret in the future.
I hope my parents see me taking responsibility for my family’s health, and resolve to do a better job of taking care of their own health, too. I hope to look at what plans are available to them during open enrollment so they can make an informed decision as to whether their needs are being met. Encourage your parents to look at what their health needs, medications, and physicians to find plans that will match their needs.