What strategies, advice, information could potentially help this group?

In the US today, many middle-aged adults are caring for their own children as well as aging parents.  What strategies, advice, information could potentially help this group?

 

Then respond to this classmate…..

 

In the U.S, people are living longer as well as living in their homes longer. Whether elders are living in their own homes, or with family, they often have their adult children helping out. This could range from just doing heavy housework once a week, to residing with the family and requiring assistance with bathing, dressing, eating. This is a major role change for the middle-aged adults. They have been the children of their parents and now becoming their caretakers. Just this role change alone can be difficult for adults. On top of that, they may be taking care of their own children.

I believe it would be important to focus on not treating their own children and their parents the same. Although they both may need help bathing, there is still a difference in the way they should be cared for. Also, caretaker burden is a real and critical aspect of this situation. Taking advantage of respite care can help relieve this stress while taking time for themselves. Taking the opinions and advice from other family members may be helpful in creating a back-up plan if things get to be too much of a strain.

 

A preventative approach to this situation is while parents are still at home, their family may want to adapt their homes to make it a more livable place when they age.  This includes making sure bedrooms and bathrooms have the necessary equipment and hazards are eliminated to prevent falls and injury.