Parents have given their time, energy, and financial support to their growing children. As these parents get older, the roles are somewhat reversed. Aging parents can, on occasion, expect too much from their adult children, despite the latter having their own families and careers to manage.

1. Time

It is reasonable for older parents to expect their adult children to spend time with them. But it becomes unreasonable when these parents expect their grown kids to spend the majority of their free time as their sole source of entertainment, home care and emotional outlet.

Adult children are responsible for calling and visiting older parents regularly. Setting boundaries for how much time is spent with aging parents is the key to preventing visitations, especially when living a good distance away, from encroaching on the adult children’s own family time.

Honoring milestones is one way to keep in regular contact while maintaining boundaries. Sending gifts on birthdays and wedding anniversaries, for instance, shows parents that they are on their adult children’s minds. If living in the same town, plan to spend the day with them.

2. Emotional Support

It is important to provide solace to aging parents. But when lending a compassionate ear turns into an everyday thing, it is emotionally healthy to set limits. A draining situation like this may be best handled by hiring a professional in-home caregiver to tend to the parent’s daily emotional needs.

Senior isolation and loneliness are uncomfortable realities for many older people. While reaching out for social support is healthy, depending solely on adult children is not. Companion caregivers, on the other hand, are trained to build relationships with their senior care recipients to ward off loneliness.

When the older parents are reluctant to drive, professional caregivers provide safe transportation to places, like senior centers or volunteer assignments. Senior centers are ideal places for older parents to socialize with peers and participate in senior-friendly activities, events and games.

3. Financial Help

Many seniors aim to enjoy the high life. They love expensive travel, lavishly decorating their homes, dining at fancy restaurants and wearing the latest fashions. Self-supporting seniors have the freedom to spend their dollars as they wish. But asking adult children for excessive funds may cross a line.

Adult children should, however, consider offering some level of financial support to aging parents. It may help to divide up the expenses between siblings or other relatives. Keep in mind that assisting older parents financially has beneficial tax implications for the giver.

When aging parents live far, travel expenses pile up. Instead of regular trips to see Mom and Dad, insist on them moving closer to the adult children. Even consider asking older parents to move in with their grown kids, as a way to cost-effectively monitor their health and wellbeing.

4. Household Maintenance

Some older parents demand that their adult children clean their house and shop for groceries every week. While adult children may be eager to help at first, over time, each weekend can turn into a dreaded event. Adult children may lose out on planning their own weekends.

Painful knee conditions and arthritis can prevent seniors from performing weekly household chores. Keeping the house clean and orderly, however, is a necessity. Rather than adult children neglecting their own plans for the weekend, they are encouraged to enlist in-home help.

Consider hiring an in-home caregiver. A part of the professional caregiver’s responsibilities is to perform light household chores, such as laundry or washing dishes. In addition, the caregiver will remove clutter from walkways and prevent trip hazards that could injure Mom or Dad.

Delivering groceries may also be tasked to a professional caregiver. The aging parent might even choose to grocery shop with the caregiver. Once fresh produce and foods are in the fridge, the caregiver will prepare nutritious meals. Mom and Dad stay nourished by consuming healthy dishes.

5. Daily Support

Help with the activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, toileting and grooming, can become necessary as parents lose their physical capabilities or cognitive decline sets in. Mom or Dad may increasingly rely on their adult children, unless they have an alternative option.

Professional caregivers are skilled to discreetly help seniors with the activities of daily living. Dad gets shaved each morning, and Mom wears a freshly laundered dress each day. Caregivers tend to the personal needs of their elderly care recipients in the most respective manner.

Despite professional caregivers playing an important role in the lives of many seniors today, aging parents may still refuse to let strangers into the home to provide care. For maximum peace of mind, adult children should seek out home care agencies that are licensed, bonded and insured.

Assisting Hands Home Care retains a staff of skilled, experienced and qualified professional caregivers, all of whom are licensed, bonded and insured. Our home care agency will send a caregiver to your loved one’s home, and your parent will have an opportunity to ensure it is an optimal fit.

When your aging parents expect you to be their chauffer, RN, banker, audience and cook, respond compassionately by hiring a professional caregiver from Assisting Hands Home Care. Our caregivers are trained to meet the daily needs of seniors at all levels of functioning.

As an adult child, you may wish for short-term care. We offer reliable respite care so that you get a break from caregiving and have time to go to the gym, shop or vacation. Our home care agency also provides long-term care, 24-hour home care, live-in care and post-operative care.

Assisting Hands Home care services are flexible and non-medical in nature. Whether your loved one needs specialized dementia or Alzheimer’s care, companion care or any other type of senior care, we’ll customize an elder care plan to meet those needs. Care plans may be updated as care progresses.

Our dedicated caregivers are proud to serve the needs of the senior populations living in Deerfield, Buffalo Gove, Mundelein, Highland Park, Vernon Hills and the surrounding communities in Lake County, IL. Plan ahead and consider choosing Assisting Hands Home Care for your aging parents’ upcoming care needs. Call us for a complimentary in-home consult.