It’s often the same story; a middle-aged adult begins helping their aging mother or father. It’s usually because they live close enough to them that it makes sense to help. And, it’s often just for a “few little things” at first. You may not realize it, but after a while you are a family caregiver. And even though you love your mother or father, or both, tremendously, that doesn’t mean it is not stressful. In fact, being a family caregiver is incredibly stressful and often negatively impacts your relationship with that loved one.
Caregiver: Senior Living Options in Spanish Fort, AL
When that happens, you can grow frustrated. So can she. You start snapping at one another. She begins rolling her eyes at you. Maybe, when you stop by one day after work, when you’re exhausted and want nothing more than to go home and just crash, she is pouting, ignoring you, and maybe even locked her bedroom door so you can’t get in.
These are just a few examples that happen time and time again across the country as adult children look after their aging parents or grandparents. They do it out of love, but it impacts the relationship in a harmful way.
Is there an alternative?
Absolutely. It’s called assisted living. It’s arguably the best elder care choice available for aging men and women who need at least some level of support and assistance or who no longer wish to worry about general upkeep, maintenance, or even cleaning their primary residence, whether it’s an apartment or large house.
Most adult children and other family members don’t talk about assisted living because they have the wrong idea about it. There are too many misconceptions about what assisted living is and does, but when you boil it all down to the bare facts, it is a top-tier elder care option that is available to those men and women who want to enjoy life while getting the support they need. The ancillary benefit to all of this is it allows you to focus on your relationship with your mother or father, grandparent, sibling, spouse, or the loved one who needs support instead of being their primary caregiver.
Why is assisted living such a great option?
Because, when you choose a quality facility, the senior who becomes a resident is suddenly exposed to a wide range of activities, experienced and dedicated support staff who are available day and night, and many other seniors their own age, some of whom they may have been friends with for years (even if they lost touch with them over time).
The focus of assisted living is to help people of advancing years live life on their terms. It is the best way to maximize quality of life while also protecting the relationship you have with this individual.
Nothing can deteriorate a relationship faster than roles being reversed, such as an adult child trying to parent their parent. In that situation, there is going to be friction and when there’s friction, there is simply no way to avoid relational harm.
When caring for your elderly mother is impacting your relationship with her, look into assisted living. You might just find it benefits more than just her.
About Cindy Johnson
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