One of the most difficult aspects of caregiving can sometimes be dealing with other family members. There are a variety of problems you might run into, but these ideas can help.
Try to Understand the Conflict
Sometimes the conflict between you and other family members comes from a misunderstanding. These other family members don’t have the same perspective on your senior’s situation that you do as her family caregiver. This can actually be beneficial for you, because it allows you to see the situation from a variety of different points of view.
How Important Is it to Be Right?
In some cases, such as when it pertains to your elderly family member’s immediate health and well-being, it’s likely to be really important for people to know that you’ve got accurate information. But if it’s a situation that doesn’t really matter, how important is it for you to still be right? In some of those cases, it might be better to simply go along to reduce friction a little bit.
Your Coping Mechanisms Might Be Different
Some people get angry when they’re scared. Others go into problem-solving mode and still other people freeze and can’t see what the next step should be. These are all coping mechanisms and some of them are more effective than others are. Some of these differences in how you and your other family members cope can affect how they respond to you as a caregiver.
Divide up the Tasks
For some families, success comes from dividing up tasks according to everyone’s strengths. If some family members are great at organizing and at planning, they may be in charge of grocery shopping and planning meals. Other family members might be much better at making sure that your senior’s home is clean and tidy. These are all important skills and dividing up the tasks can let everyone focus on their part of the full picture.
Consider Hiring Home Care Providers
Home care providers can give you all a buffer between each other. They can focus on caring for your elderly family member on a daily basis and allow you and other family members to interact on a friendlier level. This can be especially helpful if other family members want to criticize you and how you care for your senior without pitching in.
As the primary family caregiver, you likely have a solid understanding of what your senior needs. that doesn’t mean that other family members don’t mean well, of course, but you may find that a little bit of compromise helps everyone to fare better in this situation.
IF YOU OR AN AGING LOVED ONE ARE CONSIDERING CAREGIVERS IN SUMMERLIN, NV, PLEASE CONTACT THE CARING STAFF AT GOLDEN HEART SENIOR CARE OF SUMMERLIN. 702-800-4616.