If you have an elderly parent living with you, you know that getting all of the things that you want to do each day can sometimes be impossible. There are some little shortcuts that you can take without making any sacrifices, though. We will share a few of the little tips that others have found helpful and hopefully, they will be helpful for you, too.
Tip #1: Make Breakfast Ahead of Time
This is so simple, but it makes mornings flow so much more smoothly. Get your coffee pot setup so that your joe will be good to go when you wake up. Have your smoothie prepped as much as possible so you only need to blend it in the morning. If you want, get some cereal bars or pop tarts so that you can have a quick breakfast to go whenever you need it. This little thing will save you a ton of time in the morning and let you devote it to your elderly family member.
Tip #2: Hire a Caregiver
An in-home care service is designed to help you. A professional caregiver can take the mass of the burden of caring for someone away from you and let you do the things that you need to do to make sure that their life runs in a stress-free manner. This might seem like you are passing the issue off to someone else, but really, what you’re doing is making it so that you can still provide for your family while they have the care that they need to stay healthy and happy. When you choose the right caregiver, you are still caring for a parent, just in a different way. You are still providing love and support, but allowing someone else to help you do this in an even more effective way.
Tip #3: Use Reminders
How many times have you been so overwhelmed by helping out your mom that you forgot something simple like picking up a gallon of milk at the store? Use reminders. Make notes for yourself and reduce the likelihood of forgetting something. Some people attach these to places where they need to see them, like on their car keys. Others email themselves or use a task list app on their phone. Whatever works for you is great, just don’t try to rely on your imperfect memory all the time.
Tip #4: Plan for Fun
If you plan in time to have fun with your family, you are far more likely to make it a priority. Helping everybody out is admirable, but if you don’t have time to unwind and appreciate the people that you are helping, you will never see the enjoyment in what you do. Your family loves you and you love them. By scheduling in time to relax and enjoy them, you will recharge your batteries and keep doing what you do, but with a new energy.
Tip #5: Multitask
This is something that gets said a lot, but most people don’t multitask effectively. It’s impossible to do two things at once and do them well, but you can combine some things to your advantage. Listen to audiobooks on your morning commute. Run an errand on your lunchbreak. They are tiny and they seem silly, but they can free up time for your elderly loved one later.
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