 *Requires Adobe Acrobat | Le Bleu Chateau Community Service Program |  |
*Requires Adobe Acrobat | Le Bleu Chateau Community Service Program | |
More and more we see adult children as caregivers for a senior parent. Some fill this role on a full time basis, some part time. For all parties, it's a challenge, to say the least. And it's usually tougher than it looks. That's because of all the issues hidden from our sight.
The history of personal relationships has a major effect on current circumstances. So do the emotional needs and psychological states of all involved, as well as the discomfort caused by responsibilities (or lack there of). All these issues add stress to a difficult situation.
To relieve some of the pressure, it's important to keep the lines of communication open. Even better, families should discuss the issue of caregiving before the need arises. This helps address some of the personal issues prior to facing the challenges of caregiving.
The AARP Research Center conducted surveys in February/March of 2001 to discover if seniors and their adult children think and talk about the seniors' ability to live independently. Here are some of the survey results.
As caregivers, adult children are asked to help with various elements in their parent's life. Here are some of the more common areas in which they should be prepared to provide their time, energy, talent, concern, experience and resources.
