How to Stop Feeling Guilty About Aging Parents Problems

Learn how to stop feeling guilty about aging parents' problems when caregivers, through their helpful actions, set unrealistic long-term expectations that they later regret. Caregiving relationships can become one-sided when the caregiver enables unhealthy behaviors or a lack of responsibility for good health habits on the part of an aging parent or a spouse. As a result, the health and well-being of the caregiver suffers.

Adult children often begin caring for aging parents, believing helping out to be a short-term project. Years later, when burnout happens, they feel guilty that they can't continue to be the caregiver.

Spouses feel equally guilty when they have been too much of a caregiver and not an equal partner in a relationship to encourage and reinforce the importance of good health habits.

Assuming there are no mental health issues, dementia, or other diagnoses or habits that prevent a person from caring for themselves, caregivers who want to stop feeling guilty must set boundaries and initiate discussions.

To stop feeling guilty about aging parents' or spouses' problems, one must discuss the issues and changes needed to rebalance the relationship. If this has happened and the person with health problems refuses to help themselves, caregivers must realize that they cannot change the motivations and habits of another person. Self-motivation and self-care is the responsibility of each individual.

Are you trying to figure out the responsibilities of being an agent under legal power of attorney? Do you realize it’s time to complete your documents and you are unsure who to appoint as a power of attorney agent?

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been care giving for both my aging parents for a few years now and pretty much do everything that is needed and sometimes i feel like there is not enough of me to do all that is needed. i care for them 7 days a week and feel burnt out sometimes. thank you for your videos they help me understand a little more what to do. i am trying to prevent my parents from going into a care facility .

[smilinmoo]

“Guilt—the gift that keeps on giving.”~Erma Bombeck