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When Caring For an Aging Loved One Communication is Key

Elderly Care La Costa CA: Learn Ways on To Communicate Better With Your Senior Loved One

Elderly Care La Costa CACaring for an aging parent can be difficult. Roles in the family change, you are now taking care of a parent who once took care of you. Arguments and tension are bound to arise as feelings and opinions are expressed. It can be a process learning how to communicate with an aging parent and it may take a variety of approaches to learn what works best.

If you are struggling to talk to and communicate with a parent you are caring for, here are a few ideas to lead to smoother conversations.

  1. Listen to your parent. Don’t rush them or fill in the gaps, if they pause allow them to think through what they are going to say. Try to really hear what their point is.
  2. Your parent took care of you and gave you advice for many years, you are now taking care of them. Giving your aging parent advice may seem like a good idea but the chances of them happily receiving it are low. Feel free to encourage them and support them; leave the advising to someone else.
  3. Don’t be condescending. This is especially important if you parent is suffering from an illness like dementia. Don’t raise your voice and don’t talk to them like they are a child.
  4. Try to find humor as often as you can. Laughing can be a great way to break up some tension and form a bond with your parent. Don’t ever laugh at their expense though, make sure they are laughing with you.
  5. Choose the right place to talk. If you are in a room full of television noise or music, it’s going to be difficult to have a conversation. Make sure you are looking at and facing your parent. If you are in a big group somewhere, make sure they are sitting near the middle so they aren’t left out of the conversation.
  6. It’s hard to get old. Your parent is probably struggling with many changes both physically and mentally. Be careful about the battles you pick and keep in mind what they are going through. Small victories are still victories.

Communicating with an aging parent can be difficult but it’s possible. You may have to try a variety of these techniques or combine them but keep on trying until you find something workable.

For more information about how the caregivers at La Jolla Nurses Homecare can help your aging parents get to their annual appointments, call 858-454-9339. We are a home care agency providing quality and affordable elderly care services in La Costa, CA, and the surrounding communities.

Brittnei Salerno

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