The Emotional Side of Caring for Aging

Most families who care for an elderly loved one admit that the best thing about helping an aging loved one is providing the best care they possibly can. Others say what keeps them going is a sense of accomplishment, while staying connected and becoming closer is what motivates them.

When I helped my aging parents, it was the latter. My relationship with mom (especially) became close. It was my pleasure to be with her; helping her cook, clean house, run errands, drive her to the doctor, etc. My Dad, on the other hand, like working outdoors; in the yard, on the house (fixing it up), and on the car. I can’t say I liked any of those tasks.

When families are interviewed and asked what they like least, most say “finding no time for themselves”.  When asked if they believe they live to close to aging relatives, they admitted “yes, and rated stress as a 5 on a scale of 5″.

There is a study that you might want to read: Penn State Intergenerational Programs,  offer these tips:

Get the whole family to participate.
Avoid conflict by working to ensure upfront that family members see eye-to-eye about roles. (My family flunked this one.)
Ask for help.
Make family unity key.
Find threads of common interest.
Keep lines of communication open.
Distinguish between private space and shared space.

It’s a good study to read. My family needed it.

Image: yeohwilliam.blogspot.com