Six Ways to Help Your Dad Complete Daily Tasks Without Frustration
Your dad has a harder time living independently for some reason. He might have arthritis or dementia. He may have had a stroke and is regaining former skills.
Because of that, your dad becomes very frustrated when trying to do his tasks. You don’t want to get in his way, but you also want to make sure he’s supported. How can you help him complete his daily routines when he is so easily frustrated? Here are a few ideas and how home care can help.
Create a To-Do List
Create a to-do list that he can follow each day. It gives him structure to follow, which is especially helpful if he often forgets. A reusable to-do list is best.
Use a permanent marker on a whiteboard. Write his daily tasks in permanent marker, and make boxes next to each item that he can check off with a dry erase marker. That way, you’re not creating lists every day.
Step In Only as Needed
Don’t help your dad unless he really needs it. Let him try to do things on his own. When he struggles, offer to help.
Follow his cues. Make sure you offer and don’t just take over. Let him guide you into the areas where you help and step back when he doesn’t think he needs your assistance.
Teach Him Ways to Step Back and De-Stress
Frustration can lead to stress, and that stress makes him more frustrated. If your dad is feeling frustrated, it can help to stop and de-stress. Make sure he knows how to stop, take a deep breath, and clear his mind before he tries again.
One of the easiest ways to ease stress and frustration is by stopping everything and focusing on his breathing. Stepping outside for fresh air also helps. When he breathes, he wants to get his stomach to extend. Have him hold his breath in for a count of five and then slowly breathe out.
Invest in Equipment to Help Him
Support your dad by investing in tools that help him stay independent. A grabber tool can help him reach items he dropped or grasp items on upper shelves. Grab bars help him with stability getting in and out of the shower or bathtub.
Pay Attention to Changes
Pay attention to your dad’s changing abilities. As he gets older or his health changes, he may need more help than he currently gets. If you’re noticing those changes as they happen, you’re able to plan ahead.
You can arrange to help him more as he needs it. For example, you might see your dad suddenly having difficulty on the stairs. Before he falls, you could add services like laundry that stop him from having to go up and down the stairs to get to the laundry room.
Hire Home Care to Help
Your dad may not want to accept help from you. It can be challenging to rely on your children, especially when you’re used to being in a parental role. Your dad’s frustration may be related to his embarrassment.
To prevent the frustration linked to embarrassment, hire a caregiver to help him. Home care aides can help your dad with his daily routine. With home care, your dad has a caregiver to assist with housekeeping, laundry, transportation, meals, and anything else he cannot do independently.
Source: https://www.alz.org/help-support/caregiving/stages-behaviors/agression-anger