Home Care, Alzheimer's and Dementia, and Senior Living | ComForCare Blog

3 Ways to Have Fun with Caregiving

Written by ComForCare | June 26, 2015 at 12:32 AM

It can be hard to care for elderly parents, especially when you’re a parent yourself. Making sure they are healthy and happy takes just as much time, energy and commitment as taking care of your children. Balancing these two things can be difficult, which is why homecare services are available for people who need a little help providing basic care for their older parent’s needs.

By allowing homecare services to shoulder some of that burden, you can make sure that that the time you spend with one another is quality time. Since, elderly individuals are no longer able to do many of the things they used to enjoy, you may find yourself looking for ideas about what things that you can do. Here are a few that we recommend.

Plan Group Activities to Help Them Feel Included

Be sure to plan activities that are within your parent’s realm of comfort so they feel included and loved. This can be as easy as planning a family movie night or going to the park for a few hours. Planning things to do together can make them feel included and can help you all have fun. Make sure to stick with activities that are low stress and low noise to create a relaxing and fun environment.

If you have a park nearby, it can be good exercise and relaxing to take a leisurely stroll. Even simply walking around your own back garden or neighborhood will get you both some fresh air. 

Have Conversations  

Even with your busy life, don’t forget to take the opportunity to talk to your parents about what’s going on in your life, what’s going on in their lives, reminisce about memories, and share information about your children. Even though homecare services can include emotional support, talking with loved ones is a fun and cherished thing to do. Open and honest conversations can make caregiving easier and be much more fun.

Puzzles

Elderly parents have a lot of time on their hands, especially if they live alone or in an active household, so it can be easy for them to feel like they’re getting lost in the shuffle. This can lead to sadness and depression. Giving your parents gifts such as puzzles, painting, or coloring books can help them stay busy and feel productive.

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