Our parents have always cared for us, but there comes a time when we have to do the same for them. Aging is inevitable. If your parents live with you but are still in good shape then they can still help around and be independent. However, if the effects of aging have become much more evident and you are indecisive about how to handle the situation, personalcareassistance.org senior care professionals are here with their excellent services for your aging parents.
How Much Assistance Do They Need?
You need to assess your parents’ ability to complete activities of daily living (ADLs) to ensure their health requirements are being met every day. ADLs are the basic day-to-day activities that your parents need and these include:
- Toileting; toilet hygiene or their ability to go to the toilet and wash by themselves.
- Feeding; the ability to prepare food and feed oneself.
- Dressing
- Showering and Bathing; maintaining personal hygiene including cleanliness of the body, hair grooming, nail cutting, as well as basic dental hygiene like brushing the teeth.
- Performing; having the functional mobility to move around and perform daily activities.
At first, our elders can perform most of these activities but with the passage of time, fewer tasks can be done on their own as a result of aging. A decline in Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs) may be the first sign of cognitive and physical impairments, and they may need a medical alert system. They are more complex and such activities may include managing money, shopping, and taking prescribed medications. If your aging loved ones have severe health issues that make it impossible to meet all these IADLS and ADLs, then you need to seek help. You may have been managing some of these daily tasks already although it can still become extremely difficult for you to carry out into all these tasks.
Preparing a list may be a good idea. Write everything down so you can keep track of your parents’ needs and then assess all possibilities that will allow you to get them the help they need.
How Is It Affecting Your Family?
If you’ve been taking care of all your parents’ needs and taking on too much, you may experience severe stress and burnout. This can also result in an increased strain on your relationship with your partner, and affect your marriage and children negatively. When your elders are living with you, especially involuntarily, everything gets complicated. It affects your physical and mental health and you begin to have frequent fights with your family because you feel stressed and pressured to perfectly meet your parents’ needs, resulting in you putting your life on hold. However, you need to realize that if you burn out emotionally or physically, you won’t be able to provide your birth parents with the help they need.
Seek Help
There are many options that you can consider. Not to mention a plethora of helpful resources such as a senior living consultant that you can rely on when it comes to finding care for your parents. You can consider hiring a caregiver to help your parents with health care and daily activities like cleaning, cooking, and hygiene. There are also qualified nurses and clinical members that you can reach out to who will be able to provide professional clinical support and competent supervision. You can also consider a nursing home; if you live in Australia, the team at arcare.com.au suggest that it’s a great idea to provide your aging loved ones with a nurturing environment where they can receive consistent and holistic support. In addition, a nursing home can expose them to social groups and give them a sense of belonging, turning them to lively seniors.If your parents suffer from dementia, they can be very sensitive and require extra support, which is why seeking help is highly advisable. Finding the right one can be tricky, if ever you’re in the area checking out california travel nurse assignments can be one way to filter what you really need.
Recognize that You’re Doing Your Best
It is very important that you don’t feel guilty, instead recognize the best efforts you are doing to ensure that your aging parents are safe and well-supported. You need to understand that choosing assisted living or seeking external help doesn’t mean that you’ve failed your duty toward them. Caring for your parents by yourself sometimes can become dangerous and overwhelming, or they may need a higher level of care than you can provide at home. You’re making a smart decision and trying your best to keep them healthy and safe. Besides, no one has control over their parent’s health or cognitive abilities, and seeking professional help can be in their best interest.
Not all family situations are the same, so take the time to sit down with your family and parents, and allow them to discuss their concerns and anxieties. At first, your parents will resist any idea of external help or services, yet, try to be patient and do your best to make them feel like they’re in control. Remember to be compassionate and sensitive towards them. In the end, all we want is for our parents to age well and happily.
