“You can't help getting older,” George Burns once remarked, “but you don't have to get old.” Indeed, aging is not an option, and with it comes a slew of new adventures. If you’re an adult child of someone in or nearing their golden years, you can expect some awkward, funny, and downright silly moments brought on by the changes that come with age.
1) They Can’t Hear You in a Restaurant
(But They’ll Still Hear Your Private Phone Conversations from the Next Room)
Hearing diminishes with age, but perhaps not in the ways one would expect. It has to do with the fine hair cells inside the ear that help translate sound waves into sound. When those die off or diminish, hearing starts to go. It’s very common for seniors to have trouble hearing when there’s background noise because they can’t isolate the sound of your voice, even if you’re sitting at the same table as them in a restaurant. However, it’s almost a guarantee they’ll hear every single word of your phone call whether you step outside or into the next room. Don’t rely on the distance to save you from questions about your love life, job, or anything else you want to keep quiet. If there’s no background noise, they’ll hear your conversation just fine.
2) They Can’t Remember How to Set the DVR
(But They Remember All Your Embarrassing Childhood Moments)
Sir Norman Wisdom once explained, “As you get older three things happen. The first is your memory goes, and I can't remember the other two…” It’s not all memories that go, though. It’s the short-term memory loss that gets most people. That’s why you can show Mom or Dad how to set the DVR one day and have them ask you how to do it again the next. The same is true for things like scheduling appointments, remembering where they put their keys, or something really important they called to tell you. On the flip side, long-term memory stays intact, so they will remember the time you tripped over your own feet on stage and how red you turned every time they mentioned your first crush.
3) They Have Strict Rules You Need to Follow
(But Their Grandkids Can Do No Wrong)
Raising you was a chore. They knew they needed to produce a child who was ready to take on the world and be successful, so there were rules...and lots of them. Those rules made you what you are today. They still have lofty expectations for you, but their relationship with their grandkids is different. Candy before dinner? Sure thing! Running and playing baseball inside the house? Sounds like fun! Don’t question this one; you won’t win. Just be glad they’re enjoying their grandkids.
4) They Won’t Laugh at the Same Things You Do
(But They’ll Laugh Even More at the Little Things)
Researchers aren’t quite sure why, but our sense of humor changes as we age. There’s a good chance you’ll still snicker at someone’s misfortune, crude jokes that target someone, or at self-depreciating humor, but your folks probably don’t. Seniors tend to laugh more at silly things, inconsistency, and wit.
5) They’ll Be Incredibly Open About the Things You Don’t Want to Hear
(But Mum’s the Word When They Need Help)
You will hear about their medical ailments and bathroom behaviors in great detail, often around the dinner table. Considering their hearing is going too, the people at the next table will hear as well. (It’s ok, they probably have aging parents as well, or will someday.) At the same time, autonomy tends to diminish with age, and the more you pick up the slack, the more likely they are to avoid tipping you off when they need help with something because they’ll want to try to manage it alone. It’s a lot like the inverse of your teenage years. Take heed with this one and do your best to create a balance that preserves their ability to make decisions and tackle tasks on their own as much as possible. It’ll help ensure they do come to you when they need assistance.
Get Help When You Need It
Although some of the things associated with aging can be humorous to seniors and their family, there are times when things like memory loss and medical issues are a genuine concern, and these should be addressed by a physician. With the help of prescription medicines and medical equipment, people are living richer, fuller lives, and living longer than ever before. RefillWise celebrates this, and helps make it easier for people to afford the things that enhance their lives. With our prescription discount card, members save an average of 40%, and can also receive discounts on medical equipment like canes which allows them to remain mobile and autonomous longer. Moreover, those who obtain a RefillWise card are automatically enrolled in our rewards program, providing gift cards that can be used on anything from groceries to medicine, personal care items, and even entertainment. If you use your RefillWise card to pick up prescriptions for them or other family members in your household, you will earn cash rewards even faster. Your parents can text JOIN to 22822 or you can use your email to sign your parents up on our site for their free RefillWise pharmacy discount card today.
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