As your senior parent ages, your relationship may become strained, especially if you become his or her primary caregiver. While there will be plenty of cheerful moments, there will also be challenges you two will need to overcome together. This is why you’ll need to work to strengthen the relationship you have with your parent. Here are a few suggestions for fortifying your bond.
Develop Patience
Seniors often experience bouts of memory loss in their advanced years, and it may overwhelm you from time to time. When you fortify your relationship with your mother or father, it may prevent you from reacting impatiently toward your loved one. Your bond is your strength, and remembering this can help cooler heads prevail when you’re frustrated.
Seniors can face a variety of age-related challenges. Though some families choose to take on the caregiving duties, there may come a time when they need a trusted in-home care provider. Families sometimes need respite from their duties so they can focus on their other responsibilities, and some seniors need around-the-clock assistance that their families are not able to provide. Assisting Hands Home Care is here to help.
Establish Respect
The bond you have with your loved one should be based on mutual respect. If you treat your loved one with respect, he or she will be more likely to accept this life transition. Mutual respect allows you two to talk things through before a situation can escalate, and it provides additional comfort when things run smoothly.
Engage in Bonding Activities
When you share old stories with your loved one, you’re not only strengthening your bond but also exercising his or her brain. These trips down memory lane could stimulate conversation and take your focus away from the stresses of the day. You could also:
- Create scrapbooks
- Look through family photo albums
- Reread old greeting cards and letters
If your loved one has memory challenges because of Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, compassionate assistance is just a phone call away. Alzheimer’s can be challenging for seniors to manage without assistance, and it can be just as challenging for families who don’t have experience in providing Alzheimer’s care. Naples Assisting Hands Home Care provides Alzheimer’s care seniors and their families can depend on. Our caregivers help seniors with Alzheimer’s and other memory-related conditions live happier and healthier lives.
Try Some Outdoor Bonding Activities
Involve your parent in outdoor activities for some fresh air and a change of scenery. It can get you both out of the house where you can enjoy time in an open environment while strengthening your bond and building new memories. You could:
- Go to the movies
- Take a walk in the park
- Attend an outdoor concert
- Visit the zoo
Discover a Shared Hobby
Sharing a hobby or working on a long-term project together can help you bond with your loved one. Planting a garden, trying new recipes for a family cookbook, and woodworking are all hobbies that can be worked on in short increments until the projects are finished. These types of activities enable seniors to share their knowledge while developing a stronger sense of purpose and rapport with their family caregivers.
Bonding with your loved one can be helpful in boosting his or her mental and emotional health. However, there may be times when you’re unavailable to offer the companionship your loved one needs and deserves. The type of Home Care Naples seniors need can vary. Some need assistance a few hours a day, while others require more extensive around-the-clock assistance. At Assisting Hands Home Care, we tailor our care plans based on each senior’s individual care needs, and the plans can be adjusted at any time. We are a trusted provider of respite and 24-hour care, and we also offer specialized Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s, and stroke care for seniors. For reliable in-home care services, contact us today.
