There are specific milestones we might experience in our lives that, though not necessarily negative, are known stressors. Losing a job. Starting a new job. Getting married. Getting divorced. And one that individuals in the home care industry are particularly mindful of: caregiver stress as a result of caring for aging parents.
So many conflicting emotions arise for those in the role of family caregiver, and these are exacerbated when trying to share tasks with siblings or other family members. There are past resentments and hurts that may surface, conflicts pertaining to decision-making, and the stress of navigating what feels like a role reversal with a parent who once provided for us.
For these reasons and many more, family counseling may be an excellent addition to a family caregiver’s toolbox to guarantee the very best possible care for senior parents, in addition to his or her own physical and mental wellbeing. Listed here are several benefits of family counseling as parents get older:
- It provides care for the caregiver. Undertaking the role of family care provider may be overwhelming in and of itself, but add in additional responsibilities, for example, caring for children and managing a home while maintaining employment, and you have a recipe for stress. Family counseling helps care providers sort through complicated emotions and reach solutions.
- It offers support through grief. Grief comes in many forms, and quite often begins in the early stages of caring for aging parents, as family members sort out the inherent changes occurring now and to come. When an elderly parent is identified as having Alzheimer’s or any other form of dementia, the decline in cognitive functioning leads to an additional level of grief. A family counselor can help everyone in the family to sort out their grief together.
- It helps the family as a unit. A family counselor focuses on arriving at what is most beneficial for the whole family as well as its cohesiveness, through challenges such as issues connected to inheritance and other financial considerations, medical decisions, and any challenging family dynamics.
If in-person therapy sessions for your family are not possible due to geographic constraints, continued COVID-19 distancing concerns, or any other reason, Zoom or phone sessions can be just as successful. The key factor is for involvement to be a top priority for all participating family members, and to make counseling appointments a regular, routine obligation.
If you need a partner to provide trustworthy elder care in Windsor-Essex or the surrounding areas while you devote the time needed for family therapy, contact us online or call 519.915.4370. With both a trusted family counselor and the aging care professionals at Amy’s Helping Hands on your team, your family can overcome caregiving-related obstacles and appreciate good quality time together.
