How Can Your Aging Parent Benefit Your Children?
February 23, 2018
When you are a family caregiver for your aging parent, it is normal to think about all of the ways that you can benefit them.
After all, taking on this role is about dedicating yourself to fulfilling their needs and helping them to meet challenges and limitations in ways that support a meaningful lifestyle and high quality of life as they age in place. It is important, however, to think about the ways that this caring relationship can also benefit you and the rest of your family.
Being a family caregiver for your senior can give you the unique opportunity to spend additional time with them and have them in a close connection to the rest of your family, particularly at your children. Understanding all of the ways that your senior can benefit your children can help you to adopt a more multi-generational approach to your care, is in your stress, saving you time and energy, and finding greater meaning in your care efforts. This can benefit you now and well into the future.
Some of the ways that your aging parent can benefit your children throughout the course of your caregiver journey with them include:
-Helping your children to know more about their family and their culture by sharing stories about their parents, their grandparents, and others in the family as well as traditions that they have followed
-Teaching your children about their heritage through learning family recipes or traditions and rituals that the family has followed that can give your children a better understanding of themselves and a sense of grounding
-Teaching your children beneficial and meaningful skills that they are interested in, such as sewing and cooking
-Spending time with your children while you are performing care tasks. This can be as simple as them coloring or doing crafts together, reading together, or watching movies. Not only does this ensure that they are safe while you are doing other tasks such as cleaning or managing your parent’s finances, but it also gives them a chance to spend quality time together and strengthen their relationship
-Supporting a stronger sense of character and responsibility as your child watches you care for their grandparent. This can encourage them to help others and be more mindful
Being a family caregiver for an aging adult can be a wonderful way to show your love and ensure that your aging parent gets what they need to live with as much quality of life possible as they age in place.
It can also be stressful and challenging, particularly if you are already caring for children, live at a distance from your parent, or have a busy schedule in your daily life. Fortunately, home care can help. The professional services of a care provider can fill care gaps and give your parent additional support and assistance that they need to maintain the most fulfilling, healthy, safe, and independent lifestyle possible. This can not only help your parent to find more meaning and enjoyment in this new chapter of their life, but can also ease your stress and support better mental, physical, and emotional health and well-being for both of you.
Some of the highly personalized services that can be offered by a care provider include safe and reliable transportation, mobility support, assistance with personal care needs, help with housekeeping tasks, running errands, meal preparation, medication reminders, and companionship.