Advice for the Boomerang Generation: Caring for Senior Parents

Hired Hands Homecare, providers of elderly care in Napa and nearby areas, provides advice for the boomerang generation.

Thanks to the advances of science and medicine, we’re now living longer than ever before, resulting in a new responsibility for not only the sandwich generation (adults who are providing care at home for both children and aging parents) but for countless aging adults who have been coined the boomerang generation. Luckily, there are some pieces of advice for the boomerang generation that can help seniors care for their aging parents while also caring for themselves. 

“Aging together” is the term being used to describe older adults whose mother and/or father are still living and in need of support to remain safe at home. This leads to a wave of seniors uprooting and “boomeranging” back to live in close proximity to their elderly parents. And many times, the senior child is faced with his or her own health concerns, further complicating the dynamics and leading to a higher risk for caregiver burnout.

Associate Professor of Gerontology Kathrin Boerner, of the University of MA, shares more: “For a lot of people, that is the time – if you’re in good enough health – you hope for a time of greater freedom. You’re past all the other caregiving tasks and, for most people, they can dedicate time to their own needs. But for those with very old parents, it just doesn’t happen.”

Although this new type of bond between older adult children and their aging parents can be a positive experience for all involved, such as by providing the chance to engage in shared interests together, the toll that this type of caregiving can take later in life can cause heightened stress, depression, and even physical health problems. 

There is one piece of advice for the boomerang generation, however, that allows for the necessary care for both senior children and their elderly parents, permitting both to simply enjoy good, quality time together: partnering with a professional home care agency like Hired Hands Homecare. We can help in a wide range of ways, according to each family’s particular needs, including services such as:

• Running errands
• Meal planning and preparation
• Light household chores and laundry
• Bathing, dressing, grooming, and other personal care needs
• Providing accompanied transportation to health care appointments and enjoyable outings
• Dementia and Alzheimer’s care
• And many others

Each of our caregivers is extensively background checked, trained, and experienced in all aspects of high-quality home care. Let us handle the mundane, everyday tasks and get back to enjoying life with the ones you love! Contact us online any time or give us a call at (866) 940-4343 to schedule a free in-home consultation to learn more about why we’re the top providers of elderly care in Napa and the surrounding areas.