Many adult children find themselves in the role of caregiver for an aging parent. In this blog post, we will talk about the impacts that this type of caregiving can have and how to cope with it.
Some people may think that being a family caregiver is easy, because you are caring for someone you love and have a long history with. If you haven’t been in this situation, you may not know the full implications of it. Being an adult child who is taking care of an aging parent can often mean losing your identity while adding additional responsibilities to an already packed life.
As a family caregiver, your responsibilities often include taking care of your loved one’s daily needs such as managing finances, grocery shopping, cooking or even cleaning. You might also be tasked with making doctor appointments for your loved one. Additionally, you will have to take care of things outside the house like driving them around wherever they need to go. As someone who cares for an aging parent at home without help from others in these tasks most likely means that there isn’t much quality time spent simply loving the person you are caring for, friends and other family members. Schedules conflict and there isn’t enough time in the day to do it all, not to mention your own daily needs.
But if you look for support, there are ways to make family caregiving easier.
The first thing that people should do is talk about the issue with their loved ones before it gets worse. This allows everyone involved time to reflect mentally, share their concerns, and gather information on how others deal with similar situations. It goes without saying that taking care of an aging parent has its challenges.
Caregiving can also be extremely rewarding. It is important to take care of yourself both physically and emotionally as you care for your aging parent.
Some of the impacts of caregiving include:
- Feeling overwhelmed and stressed out
- Having less time for yourself and your own family
- Feeling guilty that you are not able to do more
- Becoming isolated from friends and family members
- Experiencing physical health problems due to stress
How can you cope with these impacts? Here are some tips:
- Seek support from friends and family members. Talk to them about how you are feeling and ask for help when needed.
- Make time for yourself. Even if it is just a few minutes each day, take some time to relax and rejuvenate.
- You don’t have to go through this alone. You are Not Alone Elder Care LLC is always ready to assist you and your loved ones.
About Adrian Allotey
You Are Not Alone Elder Care LLC
Adrian Allotey, is living a purposeful life as a result of responding to an universal calling; service to elders and their loved ones. As an eldercare specialist, aging companion and end of life doula, she has made it her life’s mission to promote the elder years as a sacred, beautiful, honorable stage of life. She brings quality of life, mental stimulation, engagement and socialization to the aging and peace of mind to their adult children and caregivers. For More Information, check out www.yanaec.com.