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Self-Care Tips for Adult Children Supporting their Parents

  • Infinite Therapeutic Srvs
  • Mar 31
  • 3 min read

“The circle of life, and it moves us all;” the lyrics in the beloved Disney movie Lion King. We come into this world as an infant and leave it as an elder who is filled with a lifetime of memories and experiences. As science and technology advances, so does the opportunity for individuals to live longer life expectancies.


In a fast-paced world, families are doing their best to keep up with life’s demands, and figuring out how to support and empower their parents in the “golden years” of their life. Tia Walker, a renowned journalist who co-wrote The Inspired Caregiver, shared “To care for those who once cared for us is one of the highest honors.” Even in the animal kingdom, it has been observed that different species of animals also take care of their seniors. Examples of animals that take care of their elderly include: wolves, elephants, orcas, and primates. Although caring and supporting one’s parents is a labor of love, it is also a “labor” that exhausts a lot of mental, emotional, and physical energy. To feel a sense of control to help combat potential feelings of compassion fatigue you will learn in this blog a “checklist” of self-care tips to help you prosper in your endeavor in being a caretaker. You must practice self-“care” to be a “care”-taker. Points included in the self-care checklist include: making changes in the home, practicing communication, respecting roles, medical support, social support, recognizing change & loss, and self-nurturing. 




Changes in the Home: Work smart, not hard. One of the ways to create a safer home environment for your loved one is by making modifications that help prevent accidents and facilitate your loved one to be as independent as possible. Examples of modifications that one can make in the home include: a no-slip bathtub & floors, a walker/cane, emergency response systems (ex. a life alert/buttons, and cameras), simple phones/communication devices, and so forth. 


Communication: Depending on the mental capacity of your loved one, having on-going conversations about topics that over time evolve such as: where the loved one would like to live (ex. assisted living, or a retirement community), their current health needs, finances, etc. 


Respecting Roles: A parent will always be your parent, and before becoming your parent they had a life of their own. Doing one’s best to maintain respect for their loved one, providing as much autonomy as possible, and respecting one’s dignity is best. 


Medical/Daily Life Support: We are not meant to do life alone. Make use of any benefits that your loved one may be entitled to, or that they may be a potential candidate for. Resources that could be potentially beneficial for your loved one include: part-time/full private caretakers, meal delivery services, house-keeping, and so forth


Social Support: There is no “I” in a team; hence we invite you to encourage other individuals that are in your loved one’s “tribe” (ie. other family members, and friends) to also spend quality time with your loved one. Identifying if any community groups or clubs could be a beneficial resource in your loved one’s life. Additionally, seeing how to maintain contact with your loved ones via: phone calls, FaceTime, letters, etc. 


Recognizing Change and Loss:  Having awareness, and empathy for the many changes your loved one may be experiencing in this chapter of their life is important. Examples of change and loss include: friends/loved ones from their generation passing away, mental, physical, & emotional decline, and needing additional support for day-to-day activities. 


Self-Nurturing-When you fill your bucket, then you will be able to fill other’s buckets. Out of all the points on the checklist, this is the most important one. Ways of filling your bucket include: getting proper rest, eating well, exercising, doing things that provide you with joy, such as art, laughter, being in nature, and seeking emotional support from a therapist to help navigate this new season in your life.


Hence, “some say it takes a village to raise a child, and it takes a network of caring people to support older adults” (Regis, 2024). Thank you for showing up for your loved one, and remember you are doing your best. 


For more tips, please check out our other tips here: https://www.plantationcounseling.com/blog. You can always find us at 954-903-1676 for counseling services.


References

Caring for Aging Parents: Strategies for Families and Health Care Professionals. (2024, 

Christner, R. (2024, June, 19). Caring for Aging Parents. Psychology Today. 

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ort%20and%20guidance.

Teri, L. (2011). Elder care: More than “parenting a parent”. American Psychological 



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