Remember to Always do What is the Best for Your Aging Parent’s and Don’t Lose Sight of that Fact When Considering Elder Care

By Jamie Shapiro | October 9, 2014 | Comments Off on Remember to Always do What is the Best for Your Aging Parent’s and Don’t Lose Sight of that Fact When Considering Elder Care

How Family Dynamics Can Influence Elder Care Decisions near Highland Park, IL

Age brings with it the slowing down of the body system as well as some ailments which call for the need of a caregiver. Regardless of circumstances, most children feel a responsibility to care for parents as they age and would like to ensure that parents are provided with elder care so that they are comfortable and happy in the advanced years of their lives.

Whether siblings are still close or have grown apart, one common issue that remains between them is planning for the care of parents. If it is home care, should it be in the parents’ home, should a caregiver be hired or should the parents be moved to one of the siblings’ homes? Even if siblings have the best of relationships, taking a decision on elderly home care can be very tricky. It is not uncommon to have childhood jealousies, rivalries as well as long-held grudges resurface under the pressure to work together and make sacrifices. An inability to agree on issues can result in the deterioration of relationships among the siblings. This would also affect the elderly parents emotionally in addition to the physical challenges they already face.

Three major issues that cause dynamics in a family when it comes to elder care are:

 

  • Time – All siblings may not be able to give equal time to care for the parents. This could be because one or more of them is separated by a big geographical distance from the parents, is not able to devote time due to job constraints or has a large family of his/her own. This often leads to one sibling becoming responsible for the bulk of caregiving and causes a strain in the relationship between them.

 

  • Money – The financial standing of each one may be different. While one can contribute more monetarily towards elderly home care for parents, another may not be able to. This causes very awkward dynamics and can be very challenging.

 

  • Type of medical treatment – Siblings may not always agree on the course of treatment to be given to a parent in the case of a medical condition that requires such a decision. This could lead to serious misunderstandings.

Such dynamics arise when siblings lose sight of the fact that providing parents with elder care has nothing to do with what any of them want or what is convenient for them but about what is best for the aged parents.

If you or an aging loved one are considering elder care near Highland Park , IL, -contact the caring staff at Companion Services of America today at (847) 943-3786.

Our senior care service area includes Northbrook, Highland Park, Deerfield, Glenview, Buffalo Grove, Evanston, Des Plaines, Skokie, Lake Forest, Wilmette and the surrounding areas.

Jamie Shapiro
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