(ThySistas.com) Throughout most of our lives, our parents and older relatives are the people that we turn to when we need help and support. As children we depend on them for everything, as teenagers, they are the stable emotional support that so many of us needed, and even as adults they can provide invaluable guidance that so many people simply couldn’t survive without. However, as both you and they start to get older, the balance shifts slightly. At first, you start to feel more like equals, but pretty much everyone has had the experience of a parent, grandparent, or older relative starting to need more help and support than they did before. It’s incredibly important that you provide the same level of care for them as they did for you. Here are just a few things that can help you do that.
Help them around the house
One of the most common ways that older people tend to need a lot of help is in getting things done around the house. Whether they’re 
having trouble with mobility or their eyesight, there are plenty of reasons why they might have difficulty taking care of their home. This also applies to things like grocery shopping as well. Sure, you probably won’t need to do everything for them, but a little bit of help here and there can make their lives a whole lot easier and less stressful.
Don’t take away their independence
One thing that you need to be incredibly careful about is the fact that it can be far too easy to assume that older people can’t do anything for themselves and you need to completely take over. This can be incredibly frustrating for a lot of people who simply want to hold onto their independence. Luckily there are ways to avoid falling into this trap. Instead of thinking that an older relative needs to be put into a home when they struggle to look after themselves, there are care workers that can provide them with the help that they need while also allowing them to stay in their own space and retain a sense of their independence. Not only that but it means that you don’t have to sacrifice your entire life to look after them.
Listen to them
One of the most significant ways in which many of us end up failing our parents or elderly relatives is simply that we fail to listen to them. If they are uncomfortable, unhappy, or suffering in any way, you need to listen to them. Not only that but things like recognizing nursing home neglect or being aware of things that they are struggling with is essential. Your elderly relatives need to be able to rely on your ability to listen to them as well as your support.
It’s never easy to watch someone who is an important part of your life getting older and starting to need more help to do even the simplest of things. And it’s totally alright if you need to take some time to step back for your own emotional well-being. If you’re not able to take care of yourself, you’re not going to be able to take care of anyone else.
Staff Writer; Carla Ross