Home Instead Senior Care Helps Grown Children To Care For Parents

Napa Valley Register:

In November of 2007, Robert and Melva Van Prooyen of Napa, both 92, were in crisis. Just 5 days after Robert suffered a painful back injury, Melva broke her hip and doctors said she needed surgery.

The couple’s daughter, Penny Granberg, said although the pair had already hired caregiver help for 4 hours a day at their country home, she and her brother – who both live outside of the area – knew their parents needed more assistance. The Van Prooyens now receive around-the-clock care in their own home.

Granberg, 67, is one of millions of adult children who understand the value of addressing in-home care, driving, health, finances and other issues with their parents well before necessity requires these conversations. Granberg said that bringing up these topics can be difficult for some adult children.

‘They’ve always been your parents and always have been in charge and you don’t want to offend them or give them the lack of dignity of not making their own decisions. But sometimes, safety is a real issue,’ she said.

Candy Smith, owner of the American Canyon office of the international franchise Home Instead Senior Care, understands this dilemma. In efforts to jump-start these important conversations, she said, Home Instead recently launched the 40-70 Rule Campaign, which urges adult children who have reached age 40 and parents who are approaching 70 to start planning for the future. Read more.