Getting Your Parent Involved in Preparation for Family Gatherings

Elderly Care in Jupiter Island FL

Family gatherings are a fantastic way to keep your aging parent feeling involved and invested in the world around them, and to support strong relationships that can help improve their quality of life as they age in place. If your senior is dealing with new challenges and limitations, however, they may find that they are no longer able to be involved in the actual planning and preparation for these gatherings. This can lead to depression, anxiety, and a sense of disconnection and loss of relevance that can be extremely difficult for your aging parent to handle. Finding new ways for your parent to be involved in preparing for your family gatherings can show your parent that they are still very much relevant in the family and that you value their input in what you do together. This can support better mental and emotional health, and create memories that you can carry with you well into the future. Use these tips to help get your parent involved in preparation for family gatherings:

• Acknowledge the change. Do not just pretend that nothing has changed or try to gloss over the differences in this gathering. Instead, acknowledge the change and the fact that your parent may not be able to do the same things for this event that they would have in the past. This can help prevent tension and reduce the chances that your loved one will try to do too much and possibly cause problems.
• Ask for input. Encourage your parent to tell you how they would like to be involved in the preparation and if they have any ideas about new ways that they can be a part of it. This will make your loved one feel more like a part of the experience and like they are making an impact rather than just like you are telling them what to do.
• Modify involvement. If it is truly meaningful for your aging parent to continue being involved in the preparation in much the same ways that they used to, look for way to modify those tasks so that they can do them safely and effectively. For example, if they always handled the cooking, suggest that they select one or two dishes to prepare and then plan for the rest of the dishes to be brought as a potluck.

An elderly care provider can be a great source of support and assistance for your loved one as they are aging in place. Through a personalized approach to their care, this elderly home care services provider can help your parent to stay as safe, healthy, and secure as possible throughout their later years while also promoting as much independence, autonomy, and activity as they can handle according to their individual needs and challenges. When it comes to being involved in preparing for a family gathering, this means helping them grocery shop, modifying tasks to meet their limitations while promoting independence, and offering encouragement that can improve their mental and emotional health.
If you or an aging loved one are considering elderly care in Jupiter Island, FL, contact the caring staff at BrightStar Care of Jupiter. Call today (561) 741-1200.