Talking about your eldercare challenges
When you’re supporting an elderly person you can suddenly find yourself confronted with emotional and practical problems you’re not equipped to face without support.
While we know people benefit hugely from our web service we’re now offering the expertise of a life coach and eldercare specialist to answer your individual questions.
If you’d like professional advice or simply a fresh perspective on a problem you’re currently coping with feel free to add your comment below, tweet us, Facebook us or just drop us an email. Lesley will provide guidance on your queries in her next update.
Lesley is armed with a personal understanding of what it’s like balancing work and care commitments. Having supported an elderly family member she’s well equipped to advise others on the challenges that can arise as parents age.
Find out how others are coping and be reassured that feeling overwhelmed can sometimes just be part and parcel of eldercare responsibilities.
We’ve come up with a series of situations people commonly face when caring for their ageing relatives which we’ll begin to talk more about in the coming weeks. In the meantime why not start us off and be the first to post a question?
Balancing work with care commitments
I have a high level position in a bank and responsibility for my elderly father whose health is declining. I feel like I’m short-changing my Dad and not performing well at work either. I’m permanently stressed and can’t see a way out…
Guilt
Looking after my mother is becoming too much for me and I know it’s time for her to go into a home. But it feels like I’m abandoning her. I know other people will judge me and I feel so guilty myself.
Avoiding sibling upsets
As I live locally I seem to end up doing everything for my mother. My sister does very little but is always criticising and I’m fed up with it. I’m scared if I say anything it will end up as a huge argument – we’ve never got on very well.
Coping with the onset of dementia
My favourite aunt is developing dementia. I used to love visiting her and confiding in her but now she just doesn’t seem interested in me and I find it hard to communicate with her. Any suggestions?
Parenting your parents
Since my mother died my father has been living on his own. He recently had a fall and now finds it difficult to look after himself. The hardest part for me is helping him wash and dress. It’s embarrassing and just doesn’t feel right. But I have to do it for him after all he’s done for me, don’t I?
Dr Lesley Trenner is an Ageing Parent specialist with extensive qualifications and experience in life coaching. Lesley provides one-to-one help for people who are struggling to balance work and care, or cope with mid-life, family and career challenges. Sessions are available face-to-face (London) or on the phone. Email Lesley or call 07919 880 250 for a free introductory chat.
