Concern for elderly relatives, particularly parents, back home is frequently cited as a serious issue for expats and their partners. It will also likely be an even bigger issue in future.
Increasingly common
The demographics of expats are diversifying, meaning among other things that more older employees are being asked to move abroad. That in turn means it’s getting more common for older relatives to be left behind, sometimes alone. There are more reasons behind this phenomenon, such as people now live longer, have children at a later stage in life, families are getting smaller, and divorce rates are higher.
Very high costs
What can be done about lonely, left-behind relatives? Taking your parent(s) abroad with you is an obvious option but can have complications, as not every country is willing to issue a visa for them. Also, possibly very high extra costs can be involved, such as insurance premiums and health care costs.
Use modern technology
There are other ways, though, to make your move easier, both for your elderly parents and yourself. One of them is to make full use of modern technology, such as Skype or FaceTime, to maintain contact. If necessary, teach your parents in advance how to use a tablet, and practise with them.
Photo: Georgie Pauwels – Flickr
