How can I get along with my aging parents?
18 General Tips for Dealing With Stubborn, Aging Parents
- Be persistent.
- Avoid power struggles — pick your battles.
- Be sensitive.
- Know that timing is everything.
- Stay calm.
- Seek outside help — for yourself.
- Spend more time with them.
- Ask questions.
Should I move in with my aging mother?
An aging parent who is still relatively healthy and independent can be moved in while they are still independent. They can easily adjust to your home and familiarize themselves with their new surroundings. Most people don’t consider living with their own parents until they experience some serious health challenges.
Is there a fine line between caring and controlling aging parents?
There’s a fine line between caring and controlling—but older adults and their grown children often disagree on where it is. Several years ago, I wrote a book aimed at helping adult children of my generation manage the many challenges of caring for our aging parents.
Is the middle-aged adult worried about the aging parent?
We found in our research that when the middle-aged adult is worried about the aging parent, the parent is both annoyed by that and feels more loved.” At a recent 80th-birthday party for my friend Leah, I found myself seated at a table for eight, all women of a certain age: my very own focus group.
Why don’t my parents get along with my spouse’s parents?
It’s simply because your parent doesn’t share with your spouse all the baggage they do with you; mainly, they’ve never been the dominate force in your spouse’s life. Your spouse and your parent are peers to a degree that you and your parent can never be.
Do you expect to bond with your aging parents?
If as you care for your aging parent you bond with them in a new and deeper way, of course that’s fantastic. But going into caring for them expecting or even hoping for that to happen is to wade into dangerous waters. Better to have no expectations and be surprised, than to have your hopes dashed.