Watching your parents age can be a difficult reality to face. After spending a lifetime looking up to them as independent role models and caregivers, accepting the idea that they may now need someone to care for them is not easy. In reality, 70 percent of people over 65 will need some form of long-term care. Recognizing the signs when help is needed and having the “talk” with your aging parents about their emergency, medical, legal and financial information and preferences is crucial. Taking this step helps prevent crisis and create a safer environment that eliminates stress for the whole family and provides the best long-term care for your parents.
Julie Kollada, founder of Open Arms Solutions and the Open Arms team, is dedicated to understanding the needs of adult children caring for aging parents and has developed a strong understanding of the warning signs and how to best have the “talk.” By using specific conversation techniques, including the Transactional Analysis (T.A.) communications model, adult children can speak to their parents in a way that compassionately communicates their concern without shifting the roles between parent and child. Here are a few quick facts about the T.A. model to give you an idea of what we’re talking about:
- In its simplest terms, T.A. is the method for studying interactions between individuals.
- It is built on the idea that individuals have three ego states: Parent, Adult and Child.
- Together, all three account for the knowledge you gain by: observing parents and authority figures (Parent); the internal responses you have to those observations (child); and the ability to evaluate and validate the observations you make (Adult).
By effectively using and understanding the T.A. model you can gauge and address your parents’ emotional needs and express your concern as a nurturing and attentive child.
Once the talk is had, adult children and their parents can find the most appropriate form of care that will help keep their family a family.
Open Arms Solutions is founded on Julie’s dedication to caregiver expertise and compassionate care when transitioning families from the “talk” to finding the care they need. Open Arms employees are hired based on compassion, dedication, kindness, warmth and helpfulness and are trained to help your parents maintain joy as they transition into the long-term care they need.
To determine the best care plan for your aging parents, sign up for a complimentary consultation with Open Arms Solutions by visiting https://openarmssolutions.com or call (847) 272-4997.
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