The sandwich generation tends to get nervous about managing things at home. It is the generation that has to deal with its children and their aging parents simultaneously. Their children need them to take care of them, and so do their parents. Thus, the caregiving gene is having a hard time.
However, experts point out that unless someone is in imminent danger of death, there is no such thing as a crisis. Today, you can find ample resources for managing and juggling busy calendar days. Although after time you get used to the situations and seem to manage things. However, it tends to harm your health and the quality of care you provide to your children and parents.
So, we have a list of tips to help you de-stress your sandwich generation. Shared by experts in the field of caregiving and self-care. So, you can rest assured that some, if not all, will actually work for you.
So, let’s not waste any more time and read on to find more information.
Find out what resources are available
To understand this, taking care of an aging parent involves spending money and having the right resources at home to provide the required care for them. However, it may not be possible for everyone to create this atmosphere at home.
Thus, you can explore external resources for the same. For example, you can seek help from nursing homes in your area to take care of your parents. You can send your parents to a day care center or set up home care. In both scenarios, the provider’s responsibility is to provide patients with comprehensive care tailored to their individual needs.
If you find that your parents were not receiving proper care or were negligent, you can claim compensation for any damages. According to nursing home abuse lawyers campaigning for justice, many providers ignore a patient’s basic right to live a life of dignity. As a result, patients may experience more health problems. This practice keeps the nursing home staff alert and ensures they do their job well. Therefore, you should be reassured and seek as much outside help as possible to ensure that your parents receive the utmost care in their time of need.
Forgive yourself for the things you missed
There may be moments when you have to miss your child’s first game or their annual job because you have to stay home to take care of aging parents. Likewise, you may have to skip your father’s visit to the hospital because you have urgent office work. No matter the situation, you may feel guilty for missing essential things. However, you must forgive yourself and move on from this feeling.
As long as you don’t miss out on managing things well, there’s no guilt involved. You are human and you cannot be available everywhere. Understand that you are doing the best you can, so there is no need for you to regret anything. It will cloud your thoughts and hinder your ability to make a decision. In addition, you will lose confidence in yourself. All of this will eventually affect both your children and your parents.
Protect relationships
Having to take care of your family on your own can take a huge toll on your relationships. You may witness tension build up between you, your children, your parents, and your significant other. To avoid such a situation, experts advise that you adopt a cooperative care approach in your family. It will help to strengthen support and unity in the family.
In simple words, you can ask your family members to help you through the situation. For example, if you have teenagers, you can ask them to take care of their younger siblings. Similarly, you can ask the little ones to help you with some household chores, such as folding clothes using stencils. Experts suggest that you should make time to spend with your children and your partner to keep the relationship strong. It will help your family bond and strengthen relationships.
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Taking care of children and parents simultaneously is as difficult as it sounds. But it is not impossible. We hope the above information will help you plan effectively to provide the best care for your children and elderly parents. We understand that you cannot neglect any of them. But we want you to know that you also have to take care of yourself to be there for others. So, ask for help, let go of guilt, and do the best you can.