NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Last week I suggested ideas for grandparents to come to the aid of their adult children, both financially and emotionally. Now let's look at the flip side: are there ways you can reach out to your parents?

Maybe your parents are well enough off to help you out, as I suggested last week. But maybe they're struggling these days -- along with everyone else.

If your parents have financial needs, you bet there are ways you can help. Even the most financially secure retired folks are lying awake at night thinking about the future.

If that's the case, here are some ways you can help mom and dad (just as they helped you when you were young):

1. Talk about money. Acknowledge what's on everyone's mind. It will be an awkward conversation to get started, so you might first admit that money has been on your mind a lot lately, and you wonder if they've been worried too. Be sure and listen to what they have to share, and reassure where and when you can. I took my Dad to see a financial planner about a year ago, and it was a real eye-opener for all of us.
2. Help out with small things. Pitch in with the things your parents pay someone else to do. You probably haven't mowed your folks' lawn since high school, but if it helps them save $50 a week, that can add up pretty quickly. Or put your kids to work in their grandparents' service. Bring this up on your own -- don't wait for them to ask for your help. Are there other small things they have been paying for -- housekeeping, help with driving and errands, meal preparation -- where you can also lend a hand? A little time on your part could really help them out in the long-run.
3. Buy Medigap insurance. Medicare Part A and Part B cover a lot of stuff, but they don't cover everything. Thankfully, my parents have Medigap, which saved them tens of thousands when went they underwent chemotherapy treatments and had other health-care needs. It was a big chunk of money at the time -- $300 for dad, $150 for mom -- but without it they would have been burned to the tune of $40,000. To start the shopping process, check out the Medicare.gov Medigap page. See the Medigap page.
4. Take them on vacation. Last week, I suggested having them take you on a trip. Now let's reverse it -- if you can still swing it, that is. Even a modest camping trip that brings all of the generations together is a great way to foster family togetherness in tough times. Take them back to one of their favorite hotels or national parks from their youth. Spend time in the lodge or around a fire talking about the good old days. Once again, what better a way to save some money and bring today's stressed families together?