5 Fun Ways Caregivers Can Spend Time With Their Ageing Parents

Caregivers spend a lot of time with ageing loved ones – and this is especially true if you’re caring for your ageing parents.

Old age, disabilities, and other issues mean that ageing parents need lots of care – and diseases like dementia and Alzheimer’s can increase the amount of care that you have to give to your ageing loved one.

This isn’t a bad thing, though, especially if your parents are still in relatively good health. There are plenty of fun ways that caregivers can spend time with their ageing parents, and in this article we’ll take a look at 5 fun ways that family caregivers can spend time with their ageing parents – and provide great care while doing it.

1. Play Some Games!

Everybody loves games. Whether you’re into board games, card games, word games, or even video games, you can have a blast while you spend time with a parent that you’re giving care for by playing games.

Did your parents play a lot of bridge when they were younger? Learn the rules – and do your best to beat them! Do they like board games? Bust out that game of RISK that you’ve had sitting in your closet for the last decade, and battle them in a game of global domination. Word games more their thing? Set yourselves up with some puzzle books, and do crosswords until you can’t even stand the words “7 across”.

Playing games is fun for everyone – and offers caregivers a fantastic chance to spend quality time with ageing parents.

2. Look At Old Photo Books

Nostalgia is a powerful thing. If your parents are sometimes unwilling to talk about the past or just don’t bother to mention it much, looking at old photo books can be a fantastic way to get them talking about themselves, their friends, and their lives.

Believe it or not, your parents did have lives before you were born. Looking at old pictures is a great way to learn about their lives, bond with them, and spend some quality time thinking about great times past.

3. Take A Walk – Or At Least Get Outside For A Bit

Walking outside is a fantastic way to spend time with your ageing parents – walking and exercise have been proven to stave off mental deterioration and increase physical fitness and longevity, and getting out of the house is a great way to help you and your ageing parents clear your minds, and enjoy the benefits of nature.

If your parents are unable to walk but are still in a relatively healthy and good condition, consider taking them out in a wheelchair. Though they may not be able to gain the increased physical benefits of walking, they’ll certainly enjoy some time outside of the house.

4. Connect With Faraway Loved Ones

Today it’s easier than ever to communicate and connect with far away loved ones. Doing so can give your parents an opportunity to see and speak with people they may not have seen in years – and not just family members.

Old friends can be found on social media website like Facebook, and it’s easy enough to set up Skype or other video chat sessions with people over the internet, so you could give your parents an opportunity to speak with loved ones that they haven’t communicated with in years.

5. Cook A Meal Together

Cooking is a blast. Cooking a meal with your ageing parents is a fantastic way to spend some time with them, and get some chores out of the way to boot – chances are your mom or dad is still a great cook, and has some lessons to teach you about the kitchen.

And though cooking a meal together is great fun, the real fun comes once you’re done. You get to eat it! So find some great recipes online, get your apron out of the closet, and get in the kitchen. It’s a great way to connect with your parents, and have some delicious dinner to boot.

Your ageing parents are just going through another stage of life. Whether you only pop in to see them occasionally, or are a full-time family caregiver, there are still plenty of activities that they can do – whether alone, or with you.

So check out these fun activities, spend some time with your ageing parents, and have some fun. Both you and your loved ones deserve it.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

IDDSI New Dysphagia Standards – What does it mean for Aged Care? Commencing 1st May 2019

New dysphagia standards commence today – 1st May, 2019. The new standards are known as  IDDSI – which stands for International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative. Find out what aged care providers and workers need to know by listening to the interview with Colleen Kerr, Director of Optimal Speech Pathology. Dysphagia is a swallowing disorder that includes... Read More

Fears residents will be neglected as aged care home proposes cuts to kitchen staff hours

A Tasmanian aged care provider plans to cut more than 200 hours from its kitchen staff across four homes. “Staff were in tears saying this is just going to mean residents are going to be neglected,” said the union. Read More

Working Towards The Second Half of Financial Year 2019/2020 Should Be the Focus for Aged Care

We all know the Financial Year 2018/19 has been, and will continue to be, full of events as we see the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety run the gauntlet. On 2 July 2018 we saw changes to the My Aged Care system. These include announcement of More Choice for a Longer Life... Read More
Advertisement