Sooner or later, adult children need to talk to their aging parents about their medical, financial and legal affairs. You are probably saying to yourself, "How about later?" While it may not be the easiest conversation, the inescapable truth is that the responsibility for parents' care, ensuring that their wishes are carried out, and the disposition of personal affairs will ultimately be yours. Before you choose to wait just a little longer, here are seven tips for successfully approaching these sensitive private matters.
This New York Times article urges you to talk to your parents about their lives before it is too late... and suggests techniques taken from the book, “How to Live: A Search for Wisdom From Old People," by Henry Alford, about how to get the most out of your conversations. While most parents won't be eloquent in describing their past, Alford believes that all older people are "repositories of wisdom" and "keepers of the wisdom." Perhaps you will have some "elderisms" to share with our readers after your interviews!
