When Life Has Come Full Circle

Your mom and dad were always your caregivers but suddenly life has came full circle. Caring for aging parents can be extremely overwhelming. It is heart wrenching to see your parents slowly devoured by an illness. There are many different emotions and reactions people experience when confronted with this responsibility. It can feel extremely awkward when you become the caregiver to your parents. The process of feeding, bathing and supervising your parents can seem particularly abnormal not only for the caregiver but for the parent as well. The circumstance of exchanging roles with your parents produces a great deal of family dynamics which are very unfamiliar.

This role reversal may happen over time or suddenly in the case of an unexpected medical issue or accidents. The most common reasons for this role exchange include medical issues or mental incapacity. The parent my live in close proximity to you or even with you but the responsibility of caring for another person can be stressful, extremely time consuming and sometimes difficult.

Managing the care for your parents often times places you in the position of have to provide direction. Often times, taking directions for one’s child is not easy for a parent to handle. The feeling of loosing control over your own life and body is very difficult for anyone and in an effort to maintain a sense of control, inappropriate actions can be demonstrated. Stubbornness or lack of cooperation is a common action and often manifest from the frustration or depression your parent may be experiencing. Not unlike anyone else, having your rights and privileges taken away is a difficult to accept and needs to be handled with grace and dignity.

The child who is a...

... middle of paper ...

...the author in writing.

Designating responsibilities when possible, enjoying the good moments with your parents and taking care of yourself is the most beneficial thing you can do. Enjoy the precious moments of clarity or happiness you have with your parents and take care of your own family and yourself. After all, your parents took good care of you and they would expect you to do the same for your own family and yourself.

Works Cited
Coping with Caregiving, How to Manage Stress when Caring for Elderly Relatives, By Vicki Schmall, Pacific Northwest Extension Publication, Family Caregiver Support Program handout. womensvoicesforchange.org/aging-parents-and-dealing-with-siblings.htm -

http://aginggrandparents.suite101.com/article.cfm/support_for_caregivers_necessary#ixzz0fG6Chi3B