Cancer is a devastating force that impacts millions of people throughout the United States each year. Hundreds of thousands of people lose their lives to this disease, but many others survive. If you are a family caregiver for an aging adult who fought cancer and survived, it is an exciting and joyful aspect of their lives that deserves to be celebrated. June 3rd is Cancer Survivors Day. This is a fantastic opportunity for you to honor your aging parent for what they went through, and remind them of how important they are in your life. This is a wonderful way to boost their mental and emotional health, and encourage them to keep taking care of themselves and their physical health.
Let these ideas inspire you for ways you can honor your aging parent on Cancer Survivors Day:
- Encourage them to talk about what they went through. This is a great time for you to sit down with your parent and talk about the journey. Encourage your parent to express their thoughts and emotions, and share your own memories as well.
- Plan a special meal with the family to enjoy quality time together. This can be at your parent’s favorite restaurant, or in the home, but make sure it is a meal you all enjoy, and one that encourages sharing, talking, and enjoying being together.
- Learn something new, or go on a new adventure together to celebrate your parent’s continued life. Encourage them to find something they’ve always been interested in, or something they’ve always wanted to do, and go do it together. This is a fantastic way to stimulate their mind, boost their sense of relevance and fulfillment, and make memories you can treasure.
- Get involved in the cancer awareness community, and encourage your parent to connect with others. By getting involved, volunteering, and being a part of awareness activities, your senior can feel as though they are giving back to those who helped them through their difficult time, and help others as well. By connecting with other survivors, they can have support and ongoing encouragement from those who have been through the same things and understand what your parent is going through.
Being a family caregiver I can be one of the most fulfilling and meaningful roles you can fill during your life. It can also be extremely challenging and stressful. You may find yourself feeling overwhelmed or as though there is more for you to do each day than you have time, energy, resources, and capabilities to handle. Fortunately, home care can help. Having an in-home care services provider with your senior on a regular basis you can take a step back and focus on other aspects of your daily life while still knowing your senior has all of the care, support, and assistance that they need. They can step in to fill care gaps, handle potentially sensitive tasks you or your senior are not comfortable with you handling, and ensure you have more time and energy for responsibilities such as caring for your children, managing your household, maintaining your career, staying connected with your partner, and caring for yourself. Through this care, both your senior and you can enjoy higher quality of life as they age in place.
If you or an aging loved one are considering caregivers in Brooklyn Park, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.
