How to convince my elderly parents to move back

[Anonymous]

At this point OP, you will probably need to wait until one is hospitalized and the other parent is overwhelmed, in order to make any changes.

Some elderly never move. Since they don't care whether they are near you or the grandkids, let them know what you are willing to do and how often you are willing to go out there. Maybe even get together with your siblings and let the parents know you can afford to fly out there / have the vacation available to fly out there once per year, for example.

[Anonymous]

If I were you I would talk to siblings about the possibility of one of you creating a living suite for them at one of your homes so that they would be right there and could also have a caregiver hired as well. It's possible they would consider that over a move to a new home they would have to navigate on their own.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't move to a colder location unless it was very near my adult child. I'd be checking out assisted living facilities near each of you to prepare for their inevitable decline in the next few years.

[Anonymous]

Well I have been going through this for at least 12 years. My parents, late 70s, want to sell the house, want to move closer to me (the only child). Yet they never actually DO anything to move toward that goal except argue with each other about stupid stuff (which I was having to redirect or diffuse the discussion...I refuse to be their therapist anymore now) or reference the information I pulled from them six years ago.

I think a PP has it right, they are just too overwhelmed and tired to actually do anything. And my parents were never very proactive people in the first place. I've realized if I want it to happen I will need to do everything. And at this point that time is coming because my dad's mobility is getting worse by the day and they live in a house with tons of stairs. They'll be like, we should have done something ten years ago...well YES YOU SHOULD HAVE. I don't say that obviously but I do have a lot of anger about the situation.

I just want them to be safe and happy. But they are adults and choosing their life.