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Cedarville Magazine
This scenario is becoming all too
common. Currently, more than 45 million
people in the United States are 65 years of
age or older, and that number is expected
to double by 2050. According to the U.S.
Census Bureau, the number of people
over the age of 85 (the “oldest old”) is the
fastest-growing segment of the population.
With this increase in the number of older
adults comes an increase in the incidence
of chronic diseases such as diabetes,
high blood pressure, heart failure, and
Alzheimer’s disease and, consequently,
the need for more caregiving.
Adult children are often the first line
of care for their aging parents. A recent
Huffington Post
article reported that
the number of adult children providing
complete care for aging parents has tripled
over the last 15 years, and 25 percent of
Americans are now providing personal
care or financial assistance to their elderly
parents. Since people are living longer,
adult children now wrestle with questions
about whether (and when) they need to
take a more active role in their parents’
health care, what right(s) they have to
information on their parents’ health and
medications, and whom they should ask
for this information.
Honoring Father and Mother
As Christ-followers, it is important to
biblically examine what our role should be
in the care of our parents. In Exodus 20:12
and Ephesians 6:2, we are commanded to
“Honor our fathers and mothers,” which
we should do even into our adult years.
Psalm 71:9 and Leviticus 19:32 direct
us to honor the elderly and not to “cast
them off.” Such behavior requires open
communication between ourselves and our
parents, allowing us to share our specific
concerns with one another.
Thismay require difficult conversations,
such as “Dad, I don’t think that you should
be driving anymore” or “You seem to be
having trouble with your memory lately.
Maybe we should get that checked out.”
It is equally important for us to discuss
with our parents what our roles in their
care should be. With the Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act of
1996 (HIPAA), our parents must now
sign a release of information for us at each
hospital, physician, or pharmacy they
visit if they would like us to receive any
information about their health. Because
of this, our discussions with our parents
should also include howmuch information
we can obtain regarding their health —
especially whether they will give us the
right to information from their physician
or pharmacist, and, perhaps, even whether
or not they will allow us to visit their
physician(s) or pharmacy(ies) with them.
Finding the Support You Need
It is often confusing to navigate the
health care system, especiallywhena patient
has multiple physicians. Unfortunately,
there is often a lack of communication
between providers, which can lead to
inappropriate treatment or medical
errors. If you or your parent(s) are over
the age of 65 with three or more chronic
conditions, or if you or your parent(s) are
over the age of 80, the oversight of a board-
certified geriatrician will often minimize
inappropriate treatment and will allow
one person to manage care from multiple
providers. There are several websites where
you can obtain lists of local geriatricians
(see sidebar).
Anot her excel lent sou rce of
information and advice, especially related
to medications, is a Certified Geriatric
Pharmacist (CGP). These pharmacists
specialize in the unique needs of geriatric
patients and understand how medications
What You Should
Know When
Caring for a
Senior Parent
by Phillip Thornton and Marty Eng
George recently turned 83 years old,
and he admits that he has “gone
downhill” over the last couple of years.
He has diabetes, high blood pressure,
heart disease, arthritis, and prostate
problems. Each day, he takes 12 pills
and gives himself two insulin shots.
George’s daughter, Sandy, is concerned
about her father and wonders if his
medical treatment is optimal. Recently,
George has gotten lost a couple of times
driving home from the grocery store.
Sandy questions whether her father
should still be driving and what role
she should play in his health care.
