How to Cope with a Negative Parent when You’re a Caregiver near Pacific Palisades, CA
Taking care of an aging parent can have a major impact on your life. For the millions of family caregivers throughout the United States, they take on this role because they either don’t think that they could afford to hire a professional caregiver, or because they believe it’s their responsibility.
Sometimes, even if they have always known their parent to be a positive person, they will find that they might be negative about many things. This could be due to a number of factors, including feeling lonely, dealing with many health issues, concerns or fears about their own mortality, or their limitations (they can’t do some of the things that they used to do).
When you are dealing with someone who is constantly negative, it can often have a direct impact on your emotional state of mind, too. It can cause you to feel worthless, helpless, and as though there is nothing that you can do and that your efforts are not making much of an impact on their life, if at all.
What can you do about someone who is being negative? While there is not much that you can do to change someone else’s attitude, there are things that you can do to protect your own.
The most important thing is to talk to your aging parent. He or she might not even realize how negative they have become. They might just be dealing with so much emotional baggage and psychological issues, such as fear and even pain that they don’t stop and notice what they are doing to those around them.
If you talk to your parent, structure the conversation in a positive way. Don’t accuse and don’t blame them for anything. If you blame them or tell them that their attitude is causing you pain, then they might feel guilty and this could exacerbate the problem.
Another thing to do would be to talk about potentially hiring an in home care provider to work with them. If your parent is unable or unwilling to accept that they are being negative and won’t change, then you should consider removing yourself from that situation.
The most important thing is to take care of you. Yes, you agreed to be his or her caregiver, but if the process of caring for them impacts your life in a negative way, then it’s not an ideal situation.
If you have any follow-up questions, please contact us (310) 400-6869…we are always here to assist;You are Important to Us!
Alicia Aguirre
As a Registered Nurse and primary owner of Caregiving for You, Alicia Aguirre brings over 30 years of hands-on experience as a healthcare practitioner. She began her career in 1980 as a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA), helping patients in a large convalescent home. In 1984 she transferred to another convalescent care center, added advanced training to her repertoire, and became an Administrator and Activity Director. Alicia worked continuously while raising her daughters, and in 2004 she earned her R.N. licensure. She wanted to make a genuine contribution in her field and to the community with her years of expertise. In 2005 she opened Caregivers U.S.A., Inc. with her daughter, Claudia. Finally, in 2009, Alicia opened Coastal House Residential Care Facility (RCF) in Santa Monica. Alicia is our head Case Manager, meeting with and assessing every client’s needs. She formulates a customized, individualized care plan and matches the appropriate caregiver with each client. During her time off, she enjoys walks at the beach with her husband of 40 years, daughters, and nephew. Alicia’s dream of having her daughters, Claudia and Eva, join her in the medical field has come true. They are carrying on Alicia’s legacy and maintaining her dream of genuinely helping others. Google
