Supporting your parent’s mental health: Coverage and resources

Your health begins to deteriorate as your age increases. This may not necessarily remain limited to physical ailments only, but it can be mental issues too. As the attack of any ailment is unprecedented, it is better to stay protected with an umbrella family health insurance plan. A competent medical insurance acts as a financial safeguard against unforeseen medical contingencies. As a responsible offspring, it is best that you maintain separate health insurance for parents. Health insurance from Zurich Kotak General Insurance is one of the most significant names in this regard.

Mental health issues among parents

Due to certain mental trauma, setbacks, shock, or physical issues, mental issues may develop, especially among older individuals.

But, in our Indian society, mental issues are stigmatised and mental health patients are somehow rejected.

This is the principal reason why most of the family members of mental health patients fail to admit this fact openly, further aggravating the scenario under most circumstances.

You must remember that mental health issue is also a health issue like physical ones. You need proper medical guidance and treatment to improve the situation.

If your parent(s) get affected by mental health issues, it is best that you seek proper professional medical guidance at once.

Coping with parent’s mental health issues

It might be shocking and quite tiresome for you to see your parent(s) suffer from any sort of mental ailment. However, you need to maintain your calm to keep the situation under control. Some of the ways you can undertake under such circumstances include:

1. Educating yourself to understand the issues and situation better for enhanced help and control

2. Accepting and addressing your parent(‘s) mental health issues and embracing them with all the more warmth

3. Try to set specific boundaries with your parents

4. Allow yourself to take a break from time to time

5. Maintain a positive outlook and be resilient even during adversity

6. Maintain a small but supportive friend circle

7. Practice mindfulness

8. Seek professional guidance.

Medical insurance for parents

Several age-old people tend to suffer from age-related depression. You never know when this will set in. Therefore, it is best to maintain medical insurance for parents, preferably critical illness insurance protection with mental health coverage. Since the worldwide outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, IRDAI has made it mandatory for all insurance plans to include mental illness coverage.

However, if you get a critical illness insurance cover, the coverage span will be much more enhanced, more specifically catering to your requirements. But, there are two clear sets of exclusions in this category: no coverage for mental retardation gets covered. Moreover, if the mental issues are due to alcohol or drug abuse, they won’t be covered.

Moreover, if you buy health insurance for your parents you tend to enjoy additional tax benefits of up to INR 25000, if your parents are non-senior citizens and up to INR 50000, if they are above 60 years, as per Section 80D of the IT Act.

Conclusion

This article has aptly highlighted the issues with mental health ailments among parents and how to deal with them. If you keep these factors in mind, your journey will become less hectic.

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