As a Geriatric Care Manager, I see first-hand that caring for aging parents can be a stressful and sensitive time for families. I have experienced personal frustrations, as many of you have, while caring for my aging parents. Often, family dynamics and differences in sibling personalities can contribute to an already difficult situation. When there is a lack of open and regular communication within the family, tensions can develop, and intensify. Keeping lines of family communication open can help prevent many problems for aging family members and those they love.
Here are the top 5 tips identified by aging experts in a recent survey for avoiding family feuds when caring for aging parents:
1. Give each family member opportunity to voice their concerns, questions and ideas.
2. Hold a family meeting (either in person, on Skype or by phone) to plan for emergencies or the future. Using an objective facilitator can be helpful.
3. Identify areas of agreement (i.e. areas of common concerns, desire for parent to age in place, safety) and disagreement (i.e., need for caregivers, who will be the caregivers, staying at home or moving to a care facility) among family members.
4. Keep lines of communication open.
5. Identify the roles each family member will play (i.e., driving, cooking, live-in, financial support, spokesperson, errands, housecleaning, gardening, outings, etc.).
This study was conducted by the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers (NAPGCM) in May 2013 as part of National Geriatric Care Manager Month.
