One of the things about ageing is that your parents age too, and with that comes all sorts of considerations. Most of us would freely admit that even if you love your mum and dad with every fiber of your being, you don’t want them living with you, nor do you want them going into residential care until it becomes the only viable alternative. My mother had a hip operation last year, and even though she’s only 65, I worry about her. I’m lucky in that she has a brilliant next-door neighbor as her best friend, which keeps some stress away, but there are also practical ways of keeping an open line of communication and reducing everyday anxiety for everyone involved.