July 8, 2020
Continuum recommends the following steps to help explain care expectations for aging parents.
In an ideal world, we might perfectly compartmentalize our caregiving duties, sticking to a routine that met the requirements of a senior, while allowing enough time to handle our wide variety of other responsibilities. But of course, life does not always adhere to our desired script, and conflicting needs are frequent when dealing with difficult aging parents’ care issues. Many seniors balk at the need for help, while others may come to depend too heavily on an adult child, leading to unmet expectations and ultimately frustration for both parties.
Continuum recommends the following steps to help explain expectations and communicate successfully:
- Focus on empathy. In place of drawing away from a senior loved one whose demands seem unreasonable, pause and empathize. Think through the difficulties your senior loved one is facing, and exactly how it may feel to be in his or her shoes. Then voice your sincere concern and desire to help.
- Allow each other to be heard. Initiate a discussion together with your parent, inviting him or her to talk about how it feels to be in need of care, and what kind of care is necessary. Determine what the older adult’s expectations are, and then share your personal expectations and limitations in having the capacity to completely meet his or her needs.
- Compromise to come to a solution. Reaching a resolution that works for both of you may be much easier than you believe. For example, if the senior loved one expects help with transportation in accordance with a specific schedule several times a week, perhaps you can offer that assistance one day, while enlisting the help of others to cover additional days. This provides for enhanced socialization for the senior loved one plus the healthy life balance you need.
Continuum is here to partner with family caregivers with highly trained, thoroughly matched care experts who are passionate about making life the very best it can be for cherished older adults. Our professional home care management services allows adult children to ensure their aging parents are well taken care of at all times, whether by filling in with respite care where needed, through around-the-clock live-in care, or any number of solutions in between. Just some of the numerous ways we are able to help include:
- Safe, accompanied transportation
- Running errands
- Planning and preparing healthy meals
- Keeping the house clean and neat
- Bill pay services managed with a licensed CPA
- Offering friendly companionship to brighten each day
- Innovative and highly specialized care for people who have dementia
- And so much more
Reach out to us at (314) 863-9912 to discuss the challenges you’re facing, and to let us share more about how our home care management services helps families successfully navigate difficult aging parents’ care needs. We can help with the best home care in St. Louis and the surrounding areas. Click here to view our full service area.