As your roles are reversed and you suddenly become the caregiver to someone who was once your caregiver, it may become difficult to relate and find the right balance. Here are some tips on how to communicate better with your parent.
- Learn the healer’s art of “bearing witness.” This means listening empathically and suppressing the urge to intervene with solutions.
- Choose your battles wisely. Attempting to address an irrational situation with rationality is generally futile, and will increase conflict with no resolution.
- Ask for their opinion about a non-provocative issue to offer them an opportunity to feel respected and still relevant.
For additional articles on managing the caregiver relationship, visit www.caregiver.com.
