The Arbor Company Senior Living Blog

Caring for a senior loved one can offer you the chance to learn from, nurture a closer relationship with, and give back to someone who has loved you their entire life. But caregiving can also be thankless, exhausting, demoralizing work.

Caring for a senior loved one, whether you do it daily or manage it from a distance, is hard work. It is also lonely work and can make the typical family caregiver feel isolated from their peers. Unfortunately, caregiving can lead to serious consequences, including caregiver stress and burnout, which increases the chances of a variety of health conditions.

Love is a powerful force, especially when it motivates you to provide loving care for a senior loved one. Love can motivate you to keep going when you’re exhausted, be patient when you’re overwhelmed, and give up once-beloved hobbies to care for a loved one. More than 30 million Americans are driven by love and concern to provide unpaid care to an ailing loved one. And while their sacrifice is laudable, love isn’t always enough. Love can’t build more hours into the day, or eliminate the need to sleep. It can’t free you of your own need for downtime and loving human connection. Assisted living and memory care, however, can help bridge the gap between what you want to do for your loved one and what you’re able to offer.

Valentine’s Day, in all its Cupid and candlelight glory, is not just for couples anymore. Indeed, February 14 is now an excellent excuse to shower love on the important people in your life. For seniors especially, who may feel lonely after the excitement of the winter holidays has subsided, Valentine’s Day can be a fun way to have a bit of family (and friend) attention.

Seniors don’t lose their desire to lead rich, fulfilling, active lives just because their bodies begin failing. Yet many seniors find that aging continually erodes their independence. This can be a demoralizing and painful process for seniors and the people who love them.

The holiday season is upon us, which means many of us will be piling into cars or boarding airplanes to head home in celebration. If your holiday schedule lets you stop by to spend time with your senior loved one, you have an opportunity to not only catch up and spread some love, but also to evaluate their health and living situation. Whether you live near your senior loved one or many states away, these are a few signs that your loved one may not be thriving in the current living situation.

Your aging parents might not be able to do everything they once did, but that doesn’t mean it’s time for them to give up on mastering new skills. Physical and mental activity can improve your parents’ health and quality of life, help them live longer, and make sure they always have something interesting to do.

Thanksgiving is on the horizon, which means you are busy planning your menu and shopping for ingredients. This year, be sure to add a bit of extra forethought into how you will adapt your family Thanksgiving experience to best include your aging loved one. With just a few additional preparations, you can be sure that your loved one will have a great time, will be safe, and will enjoy him- or herself. Here are a few of our favorite tips for making this Thanksgiving successful for your whole family.