4 Common Conflicts When Caring for Elderly Parents

There are a lot of frustrations that come with caring for elderly parents. While many of these depend on you and your situation, some conflicts are common to most, if not all, people caring for a loved one who can no longer take care of themselves.

Whether you’re the primary caregiver for your parents or you’re getting help from other family members, here are four common caregiving conflicts that occur for those caring for elderly parents.

Sibling Disagreement

If you and your siblings are dividing caring responsibilities between yourselves, it’s more than likely that disagreements will arise. The fact of the matter is that family can be difficult enough without the added stresses of caring for elderly parents. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to smooth things out between you and your siblings:

Establish roles: If you and your siblings don’t want conflict to cause a rift between you, you need to establish who will be doing what. As you probably know, communication is key.

Consider mediation: Sometimes agreements cannot be reached without help. If you feel you’re at an impasse, you still have options. Hiring a mediator can provide an impartial outside perspective into your family conflict.

Find a Caregiver: If you can’t decide how to divide the responsibilities of caring for elderly parents, you might want to consider hiring a professional caregiver. By allowing a professional to take over, you can take away the cause of conflict.

Refused Care

Put yourself in your parents’ shoes for a moment. After living independently for decades, your child starts to talk to you about getting help. The suggestion might feel a little insulting. You cared for that child, you can surely take care of yourself. And it can be a little frightening, too.

If you have yet to talk to your parent or parents about getting help, be sure to pick the right time, such as when you are both relaxed. When you talk about getting care or moving, focus on the positives. And whatever you do, don’t force the issue.

Financial Worries

There are many ways that finances can become stressful when an elderly parent can no longer live independently. For one, you might have to cut back on work if you are going to be the one providing the care. Or perhaps you don’t live nearby and one of your siblings or another family member is taking care of your parents. You might have concerns that your parents’ finances are being drained irresponsibly. Unfortunately, some of the issues surrounding your parents’ finances won’t be able to be solved outside of court.

Emotional Stress

As a family caregiver, you need to stop every now and then to take care of yourself. Caring for aging parents—probably on top of work and raising your own kids—is emotionally exhausting. If you feel run down, there are resources available to you. Join a support group. See a mental health professional. Get professional help. Whatever you do, don’t isolate yourself.

Some conflicts are unavoidable when caring for elderly parents, but with the right strategies and some help, care giving doesn’t have to be a battle. Want to learn more? Call Granny Nannies Miami at (305) 591-1818 today. We offer a free in-home care consultation.