Make time for yourself. Whether it’s a bubble bath, a trip to the library on Tuesday afternoon, an aerobics class, or weekend trip, take time off to preserve your own health and sanity.
Make being a caregiver or chauffeur as pleasant as possible. Reconnect with parents and learn new amusements. Learn to play cards or create scrapbooks together. A game of checkers or chess can while away the hours. Develop an interest in a particular television program or rent movies that all ages can enjoy.
Introduce your parents, if health permits, to the local senior citizens center. Encourage them to network with other seniors and to be active in center activities. Many senior centers even serve hot meals and in some areas, transportation is available. Meals-on-wheels allows hot meals to be delivered for lunch on weekdays, another option worth checking out.
Get out of the house. Take those senior relatives to see a movie, to go shopping, or to the park. An afternoon spent beneath a quiet tree watching the grandkids play can be an emotional boost. Stay advised of when some retail chains host a special senior shopping event during holiday seasons. Some stores open early just for senior shoppers and offer additional discounts.
Read aloud. Reading aloud a favorite novel or even the newspaper can help bridge the generation gap. It can also keep senior parents abreast of current events. Learn a foreign language, start collecting stamps or old coins.
Preserve the past. Sort and label those stacks of old photographs. Dig out the heirloom photographs and if names of those in the picture aren’t listed, ask your parents and write the names on the back. Write down family stories for future generations or even tape record a grandparent telling stories of the past.
There are many ways to make life in the sandwich generation a little more enjoyable and easier for all involved. Most of all stay grounded with patience and love.