Health
5 Tips on How You Can Effectively Care For Your Aging Parents
Caring for aging parents can be deeply meaningful, affording you a chance to give back to people who have given you much and also helping you build a closer relationship.
According to WesleyLife, here are 5 Tips that can help you care for your aging parents:
- Talk to Your Parent:
Engage in an ongoing conversation with your loved one about their needs and goals. Put yourself in their shoes. Consider that, for example, if they’ve recently been diagnosed with a medical condition such as dementia, they may feel overwhelmed and scared. They also may worry about people taking over their lives.
Make your loved one’s care a collaborative endeavor. Ask what they need most and how you can support them. Back off for a bit if they seem angry or overwhelmed. As the conversation deepens, talk about their vision for their future. Some questions to ask include:
- What do you worry about, and is there anything I can do to allay those fears?
- What is most important to you as you age, particularly if your health worsens?
- Where do you envision yourself living as your needs change?
- What feels right to you if you can no longer live alone?
- What passions or interests are most important to you as you age?
- If you experience cognitive issues and cannot express yourself, what is most important to you? What values do you want us to center
2. Develop a Good Plan
A good plan allows you to rally your resources now and decrease decision-making fatigue in the future. Planning for the future should begin with consulting an attorney to explore your loved one’s options. Financial decisions you make now may affect long-term living options and your loved one’s estate. An attorney can also advise you about managing challenges, such as supporting a parent who does not want support or who does not realize the benefits the right support offers.
3. Understand Your Parent’s Needs
The needs of a person living with dementia are different from someone with depression or diabetes. Even if your loved one’s condition is chronic or untreatable, the right diagnosis is critical to developing a treatment and care plan.
Once you receive a diagnosis, learn all you can about your parent’s medical needs.
4. Know That Care is More Than Physical
It’s possible to provide your parents with optimal physical care — the right medication, regular doctor’s appointments, and a healthy diet — and unintentionally neglect some of their core needs. That’s because care is more than just physical. Emotional wellness, social relationships, and quality of life all affect your loved one’s well-being.
5. Take Care of Yourself
Self-care is not selfish; it’s vital and integral to your ability to care for your loved one. Taking on a caregiving role does not mean your basic needs should take a backseat. Instead, it may amplify your need for rest and self-care.
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