One thing family caregivers feel ashamed to discuss is resentment. Resentment is often part of the frustrations you do feel when caring for a parent. You shouldn’t feel the need to hide it. Instead, talk about why you feel resentment and learn how to address the things that lead to it.
Why Do Family Caregivers Feel Resentment?
There are many reasons resentment starts to appear. Once it’s started, you need to focus on yourself. It’s not wrong to feel resentment. It is wrong to ignore what makes you feel that way.
You might feel that you do more than your siblings. They ask you to quit your part-time job because giving up their full-time jobs is too much. You love your job, but don’t see that there’s a better option when they need full-time hours to support their families.
You might have spent years caring for your children and suddenly have also had your parents added to your care. If you still have young children at home, the care duties may feel overwhelming. You’re trying to manage two households and it’s leading to frustration.
Sometimes, resentment stems from the way you were treated. You’re providing care to a parent who treated you poorly as a child. You remember the way you were treated and resent having to be nice.
You may resent how much of your time your parents take up. You used to see your friends each week, but it’s been months since you’ve had free time. Your parents demand more and more help, and you don’t want to let them down. As a result, your friends don’t call as often. You fear you’re losing those valuable friendships.
What Can You Do to Prevent It?
It’s often hard to not feel resentment when you’re thrown into caring for a parent. Make sure you hold family meetings and talk openly if you feel overwhelmed. It could be time to let others take on more of your parents’ care.
One way to ease resentment is by making sure you have time to yourself. Respite care is important. With this type of home care, professional caregivers come to your family home and take over for a while.
With professional caregivers taking over, you get to go out without leaving your parents alone. They have someone new to talk to, and you can go out with friends and family without worry. Call a home care agency to schedule caregivers for respite care.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Care Services in San Francisco, CA, contact the friendly staff at Home Care Professionals today.
Call (866)-940-4855
