Majority of adults caring for their parents say it helps heal their relationships: survey
In spite of burnout and exhaustion, most Americans who are caring for an aging parent said it has healed their relationship with them.That’s according to a recent survey of 2,000 sandwich generation parents who also care for an aging parent, in which most (88%) said that caregiving has given them a life-changing reset with their aging loved one.As part of the survey, the seniors were also asked a few questions, and their responses proved that the reconciliation is mutual: 89% of seniors agreed that being cared for by their adult child has healed their connection.The study was conducted by Talker Research and commissioned by Comfort Keepers as part of their annual National Day of Joy initiative to explore caregiving — its unique beauty, as well as its many challenges and stressors for the sandwich generation.In the study, nearly all seniors (82%) said that being cared for by their child in their older years has truly been one of the most joy-filled parts of their entire lives.One senior respondent aptly described the joy of bonding with their adult child in small, simple moments together, saying: “It wasn’t a grand moment, just a quiet afternoon that somehow felt golden.My child was helping me water the plants on the porch.“At one point, they started humming a song I used to sing, and without thinking, I joined in.
We both laughed when we forgot the words, just like we used to.In that simple, shared rhythm, it felt like time had folded in on itself, and for a moment, nothing had really changed except who was holding the watering can.”But blended with the joy and beauty of caregiving for an aging parent, there’s also hardship.
In the survey, almost all caregivers (92%) agreed: Caring for an aging loved one brings both joy and emotional strain.Even still, the majority of respondents (73%) would not choose to do things differently when taking on caregiving responsibilities.Demonstrating the complexity of being a parent and caregiving for an aging parent ...