Anyone living in the sandwich generation and juggling raising kids while worrying about older parents understands the challenges that can come from caring for an elderly parent. Whether you’re a new parent or launching adult children, odds are that you often consider ways you’ll care for your senior loved ones. If you’re looking to find ways you can care for the elderly parent in your life now or in the future, read on.
Personalized Gifts and Memories
No matter what your childhood was like or how close your family is, most people want to remember the good times. You can connect with your older parents and show them that you honor them with gifts for Mom and Dad that have meaning behind them. One great way to bring back good memories is through a gift at Shutterfly where you can personalize wine glasses, coffee cups, shirts, photo albums, calendars, and more. In fact, some of the best Christmas gifts are often the personalized ones where you can give your older parents not only the gift of memories of days gone by but something to show off to their retired friends, too.
Few things connect families better than shared history and stories passed down through generations. Most parents hope to leave legacies of happy memories and lessons learned. A great way to let Mom and Dad know that their message was heard and will be carried on is through a great gift that shows you were paying attention.
Building a Long-Term Plan and Conversations
Different people have different wants and needs as they age. Where one person might need home-care services, another could need a part-time caregiver or simply weekly companionship. One good way to support an aging parent is to have honest conversations about their wants and needs. Instead of making decisions for the seniors in your life, give them the respect they deserve by initiating conversations about their worries, concerns, and hopes for the future.
Start by going over options for a plan that will mean they make their appointments on time, have the care they need, and will know who to call when they need a helping hand. Try a search for options together so they can feel like they’re in charge of the process. For example, a Google search for non-medical home care in Hauppauge, NY, could be a good way to open conversations. Consider asking your parent to go with you to an intake appointment for a tour of any home-care agency or assisted living facility that they might be interested in instead of doing it without them.
Self-Care and Looking After Mom and Dad
At the end of the day, most people want what’s best for their parents no matter what age they are. Whether you’re spoiling them with the best gifts and essentials or doing what you can to take care of them as you juggle your own empty nest, a great way to be sure your parent is taken care of is to start with an honest conversation. In building your personal connection to your parent and being honest about expectations, needs, and changing circumstances, you’ll be giving your aging parents not only the respect they deserve but the message that they’re cared for.
Best of luck to you as you do what you can to take care of your older parent. Remember to engage in acts of self-care to take care of yourself, too. The reality is that the healthier you are, the better position you’ll be in to take care of your aging parents. As their needs change, yours will as well. Keep in mind that there are no wrong answers and it’s okay to change directions.
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