As your parents age, it can be hard to watch them lose their ability to do things that they could once do. As this worsens, they are going to need a little bit of help getting through tasks. Of course, it depends on the severity of the issues that they have, but a lot of the time, the family takes care of the family.
If you are someone who has decided to take care of your elderly relatives but you are struggling with this, you’re in the right place. We’re going to be talking about some of the things that you need to know about taking on this responsibility and giving some reassurance to those who need it. Keep reading if you would like to find out more.
Constant Care
The first thing that you need to know is that if your elderly relatives need constant care, that’s going to be a lot for you. That’s not even accounting for all of the other things that you’re going to need to do such as keeping on top of household chores, working if you work, and many other things. Your life will start to revolve around taking care of your elderly relatives, wondering if they are okay, if they need anything, and if you can leave the room for two minutes to do something.
It’s a lot to take on, and anyone who enjoys their freedom too much should not take on this task. Sure, take it on the short term when you know there’s an end date, but if you can’t see yourself managing for the foreseeable future changing diaper for adults and feeding your parents, you probably won’t be able to.
Too Much Time Together
A lot of the time, parents and their children have some kind of separation when the kid grows up. It’s normal and it’s healthy, and then being thrown together what is the best part of 24/7 can be a hard adjustment to make. We’re not saying you’re not going to get on, but even those who get on super well are going to start struggling.
It is possible to spend too much time with someone you love, and you will work this out soon enough. As such, we recommend ensuring that you are taking regular breaks and spending some time on your own. Is it easy to make this happen? No. Is it necessary for your own wellbeing as well as theirs? Yes.
Get Them Some Tech
It might even be a good idea if you were to get them some tech that they can play with. Or, if they don’t really want the tech but you know they need it, you can get a smartwatch and place it on their wrist. The best part about something like this is that it can offer you insights into your parent’s health without you having to ask too many questions.
Having easily accessible data can make life so much easier. You won’t have to struggle to find certain pieces of information, and we promise you will be glad you did this.
Resentful Parents
The final thing that we want to talk about is resentful parents. It’s important to know that they are not resenting you, but rather the fact that they need help in the first place. These are the hardest kind of people to help, but you’ve got to figure out a way to manage. It’s common to get snappish remarks and rude comments from parents who are feeling this way, but you’ve just got to find a way to talk to them calmly even when it feels like you’re not capable. You have more patience than you know!
If this is becoming too much though, you could always consider hiring carers. They can take a load of the burden off of you, making things easier. Your parents are less likely to take their emotions out on you, and this makes your relationship better too. Plus, your parents may find it easier to accept help from someone they didn’t raise themselves as it’s less of a reminder of what they have lost in terms of ability.
At the end of the day, there are other options if you cannot do this anymore. Sometimes things get a little bit too much and you are no longer able to care for your elderly parents. We know that you probably feel bad having to make this decision, but you can only do so much.
