Roles reversed
From helping out with the shopping to doing odd jobs around the house, 49 is the age we go from relying on our parents to them relying on us. Over a fifth said they are currently looking after one or both of their parents, visiting them seven times a month on average.
While over a quarter are so concerned for their mum and dad's welfare that they have moved or are planning to move to be closer to them. On average we live 49 miles away from our parents but many of us do not know if there is anyone close by who could help if there was an emergency.
The research of 2,000 UK adults was commissioned by My Nametags, a manufacturer of durable sticker and iron-on nametags. Lars B. Andersen, Managing Director of My Nametags, said:
"Parents dedicate a massive chunk of their lives to caring for us and helping us to becoming independent. And it's easy to forget that there may become a point where sons and daughters have to return the favour and start caring for their parents. So it's really interesting to identify the age people will typically experience this reversal of roles and what concerns they are faced with."
Of those polled, 83 per cent have become increasingly worried about their parents as they have aged with the typical UK adult calling their mum and dad 10 times a month. Half of those polled admit they are anxious about the prospect of having to place their parents in a retirement home – with their mental wellbeing the number one concern.
Among the other anxieties people have about organising for their mothers and fathers to stay in a care home are how they will be treated, loss of dignity and that they will be lonely. There is also an increasing problem of personal possessions going missing which can be very traumatic for both the parent and their children.
Lars B. Andersen said: "It can be very traumatic for elderly people to be placed in these environments so it is important that they have their home comforts around them to make them feel at ease. Unfortunately, these items can easily be misplaced or used by others when living in communal settings.
There is nothing worse than going to visit your parent and seeing them in someone else's clothes or finding their belongings missing. It's incredibly distressing for both the elderly and family members, but it can also be costly to replace such items, while some items of sentimental value can never be recovered.
It's upsetting to hear stories about lost property in care homes all too often, when on many occasions it can be easily prevented by labelling an individual's belongings. It's an easy and cheap solution to an otherwise distressing and costly situation."
For more information, please visit:www.mynametags.com/care-homes
What age did you start taking care of your parents? Let us know on Twitter @theladymagazine using the hashtag #LadyNews
While over a quarter are so concerned for their mum and dad's welfare that they have moved or are planning to move to be closer to them. On average we live 49 miles away from our parents but many of us do not know if there is anyone close by who could help if there was an emergency.
The research of 2,000 UK adults was commissioned by My Nametags, a manufacturer of durable sticker and iron-on nametags. Lars B. Andersen, Managing Director of My Nametags, said:
"Parents dedicate a massive chunk of their lives to caring for us and helping us to becoming independent. And it's easy to forget that there may become a point where sons and daughters have to return the favour and start caring for their parents. So it's really interesting to identify the age people will typically experience this reversal of roles and what concerns they are faced with."
Of those polled, 83 per cent have become increasingly worried about their parents as they have aged with the typical UK adult calling their mum and dad 10 times a month. Half of those polled admit they are anxious about the prospect of having to place their parents in a retirement home – with their mental wellbeing the number one concern.
Among the other anxieties people have about organising for their mothers and fathers to stay in a care home are how they will be treated, loss of dignity and that they will be lonely. There is also an increasing problem of personal possessions going missing which can be very traumatic for both the parent and their children.
Lars B. Andersen said: "It can be very traumatic for elderly people to be placed in these environments so it is important that they have their home comforts around them to make them feel at ease. Unfortunately, these items can easily be misplaced or used by others when living in communal settings.
There is nothing worse than going to visit your parent and seeing them in someone else's clothes or finding their belongings missing. It's incredibly distressing for both the elderly and family members, but it can also be costly to replace such items, while some items of sentimental value can never be recovered.
It's upsetting to hear stories about lost property in care homes all too often, when on many occasions it can be easily prevented by labelling an individual's belongings. It's an easy and cheap solution to an otherwise distressing and costly situation."
For more information, please visit:www.mynametags.com/care-homes
What age did you start taking care of your parents? Let us know on Twitter @theladymagazine using the hashtag #LadyNews