How to Spend More Quality Time With Elderly Parents

As we get matured, we recognize that our parents need our attention and care more than ever before. So let go of all of the things that happen in your teenage years when everything your parents did seemed to frustrate you, and you couldn’t wait to finish your high school and live on your own. But now that you’re all grown up with some wisdom, you realize how important it is to maintain a strong bond with your parents who raised and nurtured you.

The most precious gift you can give to your aging parents right now is your time. Not the expensive gifts you have delivered to their doorsteps or the video greetings you made for them; what they need is your presence.

Unfortunately, there are family members who have not attained a strong relationship with their parents in their lives. Which makes the idea of building a relationship with their aging loved ones feel impossible.

Well, it doesn’t matter if your relationship with them has been strained for years or even decades; it’s never too late to revive that bond and begin taking care of your aging loved one.

There is a wonderful feeling of having the connection spark again.

In this article, you will learn why spending quality time with your aging loved one is a wonderful experience and how to spend more quality time with elderly parents.

Reasons Why Spending Quality Time With Your Elderly Parents Is a Wonderful Experience:

1. It Reconnects You with Them

It is a possibility that you have not had the best times in the past with your parents. Perhaps they were too demanding, too strict, or too overbearing. But, whatever reasons you can think of for not having a solid relationship with them, now is the time to rebuild it. And spending quality time with them is a great way to do it because those face-to-face conversations are the most crucial and memorable moments for any relationship and it helps to develop a strong connection.

2. It Gives You a Chance to Let Go Of Distance

When they live in different parts of the country or even in different countries, distance is one of the significant reasons family members cannot regularly keep in touch with each other. And that distance can cause a divide between you and your parents. When living far apart, it can be hard to stay in touch with your parents regularly.

Spending quality time with your elderly loved one allows you to break down the effects of all of that distance and enjoy the presence of each other without having to worry about communication tools. Having those face-to-face conversations makes you feel like there is no distance between you and your loved ones.

3. It Strengthens Your Bond With Your Elderly Parents

Sometimes you may feel that your elderly parents are not satisfied with the time they spend with you. They want more time from you, but they do not know how to ask for it. When they feel that their children are busy with their own lives and work, they may feel neglected and lonely.

When you spend quality time with them without feeling rushed, you can strengthen your bond with them because you can understand each other better. And there is no feeling greater than seeing your elderly parents happy because of spending quality time together.

4. It Builds Trust and Respect With Your Elderly Parents

Spending quality time together is a great way to build trust and respect in your interactions with your elderly loved ones. You get to know each other better. You can better understand each other because of their experiences and values, which means more than spending money on gifts.

Knowing all these reasons, you can see how important it is to spend quality time with your elderly parents. Spending quality time today will be a great way to create a good relationship with them and build your bond in the future.

How To Spend More Quality Time With Your Elderly Parents

When it comes to spending time with elderly parents, there are a lot of strategies that you can use to make this an unforgettable experience. There are various things they need from you, such as your presence in their daily life and the feeling of being appreciated. These strategies will put you at the top of their priorities list and generate more positive feelings. Among them are:

1. Be Patient With Them

It may seem easier to be a time-passer, but it is not. It would be best to give your elderly parents the time to tell you how they felt about something or some event in their life. For example, they may have lost a loved one or experienced some other not-so-good experience. They need to talk about what has happened in their life so that you can help them sort through all the information without losing your patience.

2. Talk To Them About Your Lives

It is always essential for elderly parents to know what’s going on with their children. They need to know what you are up to in your life. Instead of bringing up their past stories all the time, try to talk about what’s happening with you. It would help if you told them how things would be better for your aging parents in the future so that they can prepare accordingly.

3. Get Involved In Their Daily lives

Elderly parents may not be able to do some basic activities they used to do when they were young, so it is essential for you or someone they trust to help them with daily tasks such as cooking or cleaning dishes.

4. Give Them More Attention

It is vital to show your love and attention to the older adults in your life. Show them that they are still your main priority, even if time has passed since you last saw each other. You should not act indifferent or like you do not care so that they know that you remember them whenever you see them.

5. Do Not Be Afraid To Ask For Help

It is essential for elderly parents to feel needed and appreciated therefore make sure that they know that you will still depend on them when they need help.

6. Do Some Fun And Memorable Activities with Them

Make sure to spend some time with them doing fun and memorable activities, whether it is going to the movies or playing interactive games. It will make their time with you more special because they get to do things on their terms without being pressured by your agenda.

Here are Some Fun Activities To Enjoy With Your Elderly Parents

1. Listening to Oldies – Oldies are one of the timeless music genres of decades, and every parent would like to listen to them especially the ones they may have been familiar with in their younger years. It is up to you whether you want to sing with them or not; they will love it either way.
2. Reading an Old Book Together – Since many old books possess a different type of charm that modern books don’t, it may seem boring to you, but I guarantee that your parents won’t mind reading through the stories over again especially if they love to read.

3. Going Out for a Walk – Obviously, going for a walk outdoors is not something that elderly parents should do in the winter months or in times of a pandemic, but spring and summer weather conditions are great for walking outdoors. It is a great way to get out of the house and meet your parents in person, st the same time providing them with some light exercise to vitalize their body functions.

4. Having A Meal Together – It is so much fun to spend time with family members. You can eat a meal that your parents have prepared for you or that you prepared for them. Or you could have a meal at a restaurant of your choice. The choice is yours but make sure to enjoy every bite of it with them and take note of all the things they enjoyed eating.

5. Going Through Old Photo Albums – If you have an old photo album, make sure to look through the pictures, reminisce about old memories, and talk about what happened with them. It is an excellent way of spending time with your elderly parents.

Conclusion

Spending quality time with parents and the elderly is one of the most important things that you can do as a family member. By spending quality time with your elderly parents, you will build a strong relationship with them and make them feel appreciated to be alive. Remember that it is never too late to spend time with your parents; they will appreciate it one way or another.

– Written by Andrea Gibbs