We all say that we do not intend to be burdens on our children abd expect them to look after us in old age, but we also have the face the fact that like it or not, if we have loving children they will worry about us as we get older whether we want them to or not.
My father was a widower for 10 years and lived to be 92, living independently, driving, still active on the committees of three local organisations. He organised his own cleaners and gardeners, he was anything but old and vulnerable. But, for those last ten years My sister and I were conscious that he could at any time need help and were alert the whole time to his welfare, ready to do whatever was needed if he did become vulneraable.
I am conscious that we have reached that stage with our children. We are both 80 this year, DH had a heart attack and bypass surgery, 3 years ago. I have a few minor health problems, but nothing that limits my life in any way. Yet I can tell from our DC's ractions to any minor problem that they have now reached the 'watchful' stage in their lives. Keeping an eye open for signs that we are having any difficulties in everyday life. There is nothing we can do about it, anymore than there was anything my father could do about it in the same situation.
