Dealing With Role Reversals
One of the things that makes caring for a loved one so hard is suddenly wearing multiple hats. You may quickly find yourself in dual roles – wearing the hat of daughter or son as well as caregiver to your parents. You may also find yourself in role reversal, meaning your parent used to care for you but now you are caring for them.
When this role reversal occurs, there’s a unique set of tensions and stress that can come with it. Below are three tips to ease the strain and navigate your personal relationships when you find yourself serving as the caregiver for a loved one.
1. Set Appropriate Boundaries
It’s important to be respectful of each other’s time and set boundaries within that time. We advise knowing when there can be a set time for certain things, such as stepping out of the caregiver role and enjoying your relationship with your loved one.
2. Allow Others To Be The Bad Guy
When you’re a caregiver for a loved one, you’re often also the messenger from the doctor or other professional. Always being the messenger can cause a lot of unneeded stress and arguments within the relationship that could be mediated by stepping out of this role. Let someone else be the bad guy. Let the doctor, lawyer or professional be the bearer of bad news. If it’s the professionals job to share that information, let them. Of course, we recommend being the most up to date you can on your loved one’s health, so be present when the information is shared, but let the professional bring the bad news.
3. Asking for help isn’t easy!
Not everyone is good at asking for help, especially from a family member. Taking care of a loved one can cause stress and put tension on a relationship, but it’s important to reach out for help when you need it.
There’s a lot to consider when caring for a loved one, and often things come up that we would have never known or learned prior to the experience. Here’s Ryan’s wish list of items he wants you to know before taking care of a loved one.
- Recognize the changed dynamic between you and your loved one, especially if your roles have reversed.
- Set clear expectations and limitations.
- Work with other family members, friends, and service to create a support system.
- Don’t take on the burden by yourself.
Get Started
If you’re just starting to care for a loved one or are already in the process, complete a clarity call with Co-Founder and Care Navigator, Janie so you can get personalized advice on your loved one’s situation.
