Ways Children Can Help Their Senior Parents

As our family members dramatically age, adult children and their parents take on new and more important roles that want and need care and empathy to navigate. Something most adults want at any age is autonomy. 

Aging parents want help, so assisted living facilities and caregivers should give that care while allowing them to live fulfilling lives. Dealing with aging parents can be challenging, so here are a few things from Bellevue about what exactly aging parents want from their adult children and caregivers.

1. Clear Communication

Open communication is necessary for healthy relations between adult children and their parents. 

Adult children of aging parents have to ask how they favor solving problems. Then, use those popular ways to communicate and problem-solve.

Adult children should withdraw from telling their parents what to do. Alternatively, give up choices and facilitate decision-making to promote solutions based on the importance of the parent or parents.

Caregivers should not think they know what is best for their aging parents. A consistent, transparent, and open discussion empowers aging parents to make choices they are confident in.

2. Respect

As we age, it is more natural to feel physical and mental challenges that influence the quality of life. Aging adults crave dignity and honor as their conditions change. 

It is necessary to keep those requests in mind when communicating with aging parents. A study found that managing aging adults with dignity can undoubtedly impact their health and well-being. When communicating with aging parents, caregivers should:

  • Use basic courtesy 
  • Be open-minded and show love for aging parents’ viewpoints.
  • Show patience when helping aging parents. 

Interpersonal skills like empathy are necessary for any relationship, including one between adult children and aging parents. It helps put yourself in your parent’s shoes and think about how you would need to be treated if the roles were changed.

3. Helpful Assistance

Because freedom is so essential to seniors, adult children can give help but should make sure it is a suggestion, not forced upon. A study found that some aging adults are unwilling to accept home-based care because it threatens their freedom or does not want to be a burden. Promoting a system of “interdependence” can help ease those concerns.

When you need to offer help to aging parents, researchers recommend letting senior parents know how much it makes you feel to help. That may make our aging parents think more carefully about accepting the help because they know that by helping them, you feel satisfied in the process.

Help Senior Parents Age Gracefully

Getting older can be challenging, but it can also be worthwhile. Adult children and caregivers in retirement communities should be informed of aging parents’ desire for autonomy and overall senior care and control. Clear and polite communication helps ensure seniors can participate in arrangements about their lives. Be positive and support participation in projects that spark joy to help the elders in your life lead meaningful lives.

Bellewood Retirement Community is a welcoming community for adults who want to be socially engaged in various programs, activities and clubs and never lose their drive for life. Bellewood’s sprawling, garden-like setting mixes the atmosphere of the peaceful woodland of their manicured, fur-lined grounds with the benefit of being situated very close to everything the Eastside area has to offer. 

Bellevue brings a personal touch to “assisted living” by offering an assortment of personal assistant services that are very individualized to your needs and available when, and only when you want it and need it.