Come Soon. Daddy Serious.

You are working in a metro city, far away from your hometown. Your parents are old. You always feared about the bad news. And unfortunately that day came. You got a call from your elder brother; Daddy is hospitalized. Come to home. Soon.

Now what? In this short article we would give some tips to handle this situation.

Do not panic. Control yourself. Think positive.

Do not procrastinate. You can talk to some of your best friends and narrate. Talk to your Manager and apply leave. Can take the help of your friends and colleagues in whatever way it is possible. Rush to home. Old people don't wait for anyone.

While on the way to home, take care of your food and water intake. Control your emotions.

Upon reaching hospital, meet the caretaker first and get to know the condition of the patient.

Meet your Daddy. Control your emotions. He will for sure, ask about your well being. That is love of father. Cheer him up. Stay positive.

Offer to become a caretaker. Be in hospital. Interact with doctors and para-medico staff. Be there during the round of the doctors. Follow the instructions of doctors and staff.

Contribute financially for the medical treatment as per your own financial position. Do not compare; how much others are contributing or how much care others are taking care of.

Your intentions are most important. Do not listen to your spouse, if he \ she stops you from taking care of your Daddy, just ignore him / her and do your duty.

There will be some, who will be commenting that " It will be good for Daddy, if he leaves now", He is too old, He is the oldest in locality... Just control yourself. You need not argue with them at any cost. Just change your physical position. Move away from them.

Try to keep such negative people away from the patient. Send to the patient, people whom your Daddy used to love and praise. Such people will give positive energy to your Daddy.

There will be ups and downs in the health conditions of the patient, and with each positive medial bulletin, there will be hope, and with each negative medical bulletin there will be despondency. It will be roller caster. Emotions will run high.

Keep your Manager in loop if it is going beyond your applied leave. Do not expect any sympathy from your organization.

And one day, doctor will give the worst news; it is just matter of time. End is imminent.

Be bold. Life and death is in the hands of almighty. Just keep on doing your duty. Be with Daddy. Do your best. Keep him in good spirit. As per his medical situation, talk to him. Show him religious scriptures, Images of God(s) etc.

In no way, you should hint him that end is coming. Volunteer as a additional para medico staff to Daddy. Do not just stare at the stretcher or at the staff taking him for MRI. Help the staff, help your Daddy.

Weep alone, away from Daddy. Take care of yourself. Take lot of liquid.

Start informing your relatives and friends that Daddy is very serious. People will start visiting the hospital. You have to manage all these. Manage the medical bills and other expenses as a professional.

Raw emotions of people will come on surface. You can judge who is even happy that Daddy is going. Some will be simply distraught. Just observe. This is real world. There are people of different make up. Do not argue with anyone.

Start preparing yourself for the eventuality. Counsel younger ones. You can ask them to pray for grandfather. Can ask them to light a candle for his well being. But do not force anything on anyone. All will be taking care of himself or herself first.

Promise to your Daddy, mentally, that you will be a good human being and will do good deeds in your life and keep your Daddy alive in the memories of world.

And the final moment comes. Take the hand of Daddy in your hands. Mentally pray to God, that HE should take care of him. Let him go peacefully to His creator.

This is the law of nature. Only one truth, which will never deviate. All born men and women have to die one day. This is His will.

Pay bills of the hospital. Bring your Daddy to home with all due respect.

Inform your Manager and extend the leaves as per the plan.

Prepare for the final journey of Daddy in the best possible ways. As per your religious beliefs, do the last rites.

During the final rites, don't be a spectator. It is the final rites of your Daddy. If something is not working per the plan, go ahead and make it happen.

Be in home for few days for other related final rites for the dead. Contribute financially for the rites. Do not discuss anything with anyone. Do not argue with anyone. Who did what, or who did not do what, just ignore.

You did your best. That is most important.

Do not discuss the mater of will or property. Leave these for future.

Get your tickets booked. Come back to your working place.

If there is a provision for "bereavement leave" in your organization, please do avail.

No need to tell about the demise of your Daddy to all and sundry. Just inform some best friends and some in office. Do not expect any sympathy from anyone. World is moving very fast. People do not have time to even grieve.

For around 15-30 days, do not take any big decisions. Your mental frame will not be normal. There will be moments of weeping and despondency. It is but natural. Let the motions flow.

Keep all the good memories of your Daddy; letters, notes, pictures etc in a safe place for the posterity. Pray for his soul to rest in peace.

Oh... that chair of Daddy, has become vacant now... Now Daddy is resting in your heart...

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10 Tips for Caring for Aging Parents:

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Pramod Kumar Srivastava is Founder-CEO of PKS Management Consultants, a generalist business management consulting and auditing company based at Bangalore, India. Views are personal.