I am 35. What does this mean in this today’s world? I have young kids who run me ragged with Daniel Tiger parties while I have parents who are entering their more aged years. Or I would have “parents”, except my mother left us a couple years ago, and my very boss father is now running solo.
I’m the sandwich generation, and I’m not complaining. I think it’s a wonderful gift to have kids who know their grandparents, I like having people of different stages who need me on this earth. I like to be needed; it helps keep me away from compulsive cross-wording in boredom.
But I’d be lying if I didn’t share how tricky it can be. I will never forget the poignant sticky-wicket of being 7 mo. pregnant with a 2 yr. old at home and visiting my father in the hospital for a health situation while caring for my dying mother. That was not “supposed” to be. But it was.
The reality is that aging parents is part of our reality in this era of quality long-living and thriving. What a blessing! But for all the times it gets tricky (managing health needs, insurance coverage, etc.), it’s great to know there is a supportive resource in Grandparents.com.
What is Grandparents.com?
It is a site that provides valuable information to consumers about the health needs and interests of our parents and grandparents. Aetna recently teamed up with Grandparents.com to evaluate what issues are most weighing on this population and what we can do to help them address their needs.
In attending a briefing regarding the findings of this study with Dr. Randall Krakauer, M.D., Vice President and national medical director for Medicare Strategy and Innovation at Aetna and a recognized leader in geriatric care and board certified in internal medicine and rheumatology, it was reported that grandparents often regret not making wiser choices in caring for their health from a younger age. While they often have computer and online access, navigating through healthcare responsibilities and Medicare Open Enrollment can still be a daunting task.
As the General Open Enrollment period runs from November 15, 2014 to February 15, 2015 and Open Enrollment for Medicare beneficiaries runs from October 15, 2014 to December 7, 2014, the holidays are a great time to discuss benefits and health goals with our parents and grandparents. Resources such as Grandparents.com or AetnaMedicare.com can be very helpful in working with your family members to make informed decisions regarding their coverage.
In addition to teaming up to navigate through insurance needs, we can also help our loved ones care for themselves by encouraging healthy living habits. How can we do this? As Dr. Krakauer says, “Don’t neglect your own health! Pay attention to your own exercise and diet and set a good example by learning about and practicing healthy habits yourself. As far as working with parents or grandparents, it is going to be very helpful to remind them that that it’s never too late to get healthier! Even if you have had high blood pressure, you can still prevent future damage by getting your blood pressure under control.”
By caring for ourselves and paying attention to our own health needs now, we can not only help our parents and grandparents, but establish healthy standards in our homes for our children as well. It’s truly a win-win-win situation.
And while technology is newer to the older generation, as noted above, most parents and grandparents do have access. Use the internet to access great up-to-date information, and if you live further away from family, it can be a great way to communicate and check in on maintaining healthy goals. I know my dad, sister, brother-in-law and I have a lot of fun becoming Fitbit friends and keeping up with our daily progress. Sadly for us younger folks, my dad always schools us with a higher step count! Grrr.
I’m very fortunate in that my dad is incredibly savvy navigating his own way through all the Medicare choices and decision-making and does a fantastic job staying active and healthy, but I know this isn’t always the case. The older years can be a tricky ones to find your way through, so don’t be afraid to seek help. And online resources like Grandparents.com or AetnaMedicare.com are perfect places to start.
Go navigate through these years the smart way, friends!
****I participated in this program on behalf of Aetna and The Motherhood. All opinions are my own.****
First image credit: depositphotos.com, image ID:10848277, copyright:Wavebreakmedia
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Femme @ femmefrugality says
I never really thought about internet savvy being an issue with navigating medical options, but I guess in this day and age it would be! My grandmother refused even an email machine (just email… nothing else) a decade ago. So aiding in the process would be a very good thing to do!
Meredith says
An e-mail machine! I remember those! And yes, any help we can get is a very good thing 🙂