For many children looking after elderly relatives, there may come a point when ageing parents expect too much from you. This can be a particularly tricky moment to navigate, especially when you may feel torn between wanting to give back the care and support they gave you - and accepting the toll their care is taking on your own life.
In this blog, we share our advice on what to do when caring for elderly parents becomes too much, including how additional support and specially adapted furniture like adjustable beds and profiling beds can help ageing relatives regain their independence and take some of the pressure off.
To find out more about how Opera Beds can support you as you care for ageing parents, get in touch today.
Tips for Caring for Elderly Parents
When relatives grow older they often start to rely on you more for both physical and emotional support. This causes many people to start feeling trapped caring for elderly parents as their capacities are pushed to the limits.
Below, we’ve listed three tips on how to manage this predicament, so you can build a healthy child-parent relationship centred around mutual understanding and respect.
Understand What Your Parents Need from You - And What You Can Actually Provide
Knowing your limitations is an important part of caring for yourself as well as someone else. By understanding just how much time, energy and resources you can realistically provide your elderly parents before you ask them what they need in return, you can ensure you are not jeopardising your own well-being.
Once you know the level of support you can offer, take the time to understand what your parents really need from you. This conversation can sometimes be difficult to navigate, so keep in mind that it can be stressful and scary to grow old. Once you understand their needs and just why they’re relying on you so much at the moment, you can start thinking of next steps forward.
Set Realistic Boundaries and Expectations
After you have opened the discussion of what your parents require of you and what you are willing to give in return, it’s important to establish some boundaries and set expectations. This ensures your parents receive the love and care they deserve, while also striking a healthy balance between caregiving and your own well-being.
There are a few different ways to set these boundaries, one of which is making sure you’re consistent with the new caregiving routine. Maintaining this consistency will minimise confusion for both you and your parents, as well as make your visits something to look forward to. You should also instil an open and honest line of communication for days when you might need to alter your plans. While life changes are sometimes inevitable, it’s important to have an open conversation about how this has affected your caregiving schedule.
Seek Additional Support From Professionals
Remember that you aren’t alone in this - professional caregivers are trained in how to care for ageing parents and are there to take some weight off your shoulders. Whether it’s accompanying your relatives to medical appointments or helping them do their grocery shopping, there are plenty of ways these professionals can support you in your caregiving responsibilities:
- Joining them on walks or helping them complete light exercises at home
- Keeping them company during fun activities
- Cleaning their home and bedroom
- Cooking meals for them
- Helping them feel more independent and confident in their abilities
You can also get free elderly care and support from the NHS, including adaptions and equipment, and NHS continuing healthcare.
How Can You Accommodate Ageing Parents When You’re Not There?
It’s normal to worry about your elderly relatives when you’re not with them, particularly when they have expressed that they need more support at the moment. While professional caregivers can step in in your absence, specially adapted furniture can help ageing parents regain their independence and continue living comfortably even when you’re not with them.
Beds for the Elderly
Investing in a specialist bed that has been designed for the elderly in mind is a great way to ensure your parents have a good night’s sleep - and also promote independent living. While electric adjustable beds can help elderly people who suffer from bad sleep as a result of mobility changes or health-related issues, profiling care beds have a height-adjustable feature that allows ageing relatives to get in and out of bed safely and comfortably.
Riser Recliner Chairs
Struggling to get in and out of your armchair is another common problem faced by the ageing population. Riser recliner chairs offer a practical solution for elderly relatives thanks to their reclining positions and rise-and-tilt features that ensure a smooth transition from seated to standing. Rise and recliners are some of the best chairs for the elderly as they offer a more supportive and comfortable solution - and reduce stress for both the user and their family caregivers.
Chelsea Brown, Sales Advisor at Opera Beds, shares her thoughts on how this specialist furniture can aid elderly individuals:
“Recliner riser chairs can greatly benefit ageing parents by providing enhanced comfort and ease of movement. These chairs not only support better posture and assist in standing up and sitting down, reducing the risk of falls and promoting independence, but they also give peace of mind to children and help ease the burden of caregiving.
Family members can be at ease knowing their loved one is comfortable and less likely to hurt themselves by falling out of the chair. The gentle lift and tilt is designed to aid those with poor balance or limited mobility and get them on their feet much easier.”
FAQs
Seeking support for when ageing parents expect too much is normal for many caregivers. Below are the answers to a few frequently asked questions about this topic.
How Do You Deal with Difficult Ageing Parents?
Elderly relatives often don’t realise the impact their negativity has on you. By having authentic conversations and combating their negativity by asking how you can make it better, you can move past it and solve the problem together. Pushing them to do engaging activities when you are with them can also help build their connection with life once more and encourage a more positive outlook.
How Do You Talk to Ageing Parents about Their Future?
The earlier you have these conversations, the easier it will be to decide how your parents want to live for the next chapter of their lives. Open-ended questions can help you learn about what they need from you and how you can best provide that, but make sure the solutions are practical enough to be implemented. Most importantly, show that you care and want to understand their perspective, too.
Let Opera Beds Take Some of the Pressure Off
When it comes to caring for elderly parents, it can be tricky to find the right balance between attending to their needs and prioritising your own well-being. Specially adapted furniture can help relieve some of the pressure when ageing parents expect too much, and encourage them to live more independently when you’re not with them.
From adjustable beds and profiling beds, to recliner riser chairs, we’re on hand to support caregivers as they navigate how to look after ageing parents in a way that allows both groups their independence. For further guidance on how Opera Beds can help, simply call one of our friendly advisors on 0333 222 8584 today.