By: Becky Moultrie – Owner Assisting Hands Homecare
Communicating effectively is one of the most important things that you can do to engage with those around you and ensure that your relationships are as connected, meaningful, and beneficial as possible. In your role as a family caregiver this applies strongly to your elderly parent, but that is not the limit. Effective communication is also important for your relationships with those around you, including your partner. Being able to communicate with your partner effectively about your caregiver journey enables you to share with them what you are going through, express your need for help, and find support in the way that is right for you and for your efforts.
Use these tips to help you communicate effectively with your partner about your caregiver journey:
• Do not embellish. Make an effort to be as honest and open with your partner as possible, but do not embellish what you are going through. Give them the details and let them know what you are experiencing. This gives them a clear view of your challenges so that you can handle them together.
• Avoid venting. Your partner can be your greatest source of support and encouragement, and can give you a safe place to express your emotions and struggles. Do not, however, turn them into the person who you take these feelings out on when you return home. Avoid venting, yelling, or complaining. Instead, tell them what you are going through in a calm way and let them help you to find healthy, effective ways to work through those emotions and deal with them constructively.
• Give them time to talk as well. It is easy to feel like because your partner does not go through the same things that you do in your caregiver journey that they do not know what they are talking about or have nothing that they can say. This, however, is not the case. Sometimes it is a person who is somewhat distanced from the situation that is able to see resolutions that people more involved cannot. Allow your partner time to communicate with you so that they can help you work through these situations rather than just becoming the receptacle for rants.
If you have realized that the challenges of caring for your elderly parent during their later years have become too extensive for you to handle effectively, your abilities or availability have changed, or you simply feel that they would benefit from more diverse care, now may be the ideal time for you to consider home care for them. Having a care provider in the home with your senior loved one can not only help them to live a higher quality of life as they age in place, but can also be a tremendous source of stress relief and peace of mind for you.
A care provider can handle tasks that you are not able to handle, that you or your parent are not comfortable with you handling, or that need specific efforts to handle effectively. They can also be with your parent on a customized schedule to ensure that even if you live at a distance or are unable to be with your parent as often as you would want to be, you know that your loved one is getting everything that they need. For many elderly adults, one of the most meaningful services that a care provider offers is companionship. This support and ongoing company gives your parent a boost in their mental and emotional health and helps them to find more fulfillment in their later years.