What are effective ways to manage the health of aging parents?
Pro Research Analysisby 
Searched over 200M research papers
Effective Ways to Manage the Health of Aging Parents
Managing Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD)
Caring for aging parents, especially those with dementia, presents unique challenges. Research highlights several strategies that caregivers employ to manage the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). These strategies include "setting the record straight," "going along with it," distracting and redirecting, ignoring, telling "fiblets" or lies, medicating to alleviate symptoms, and altering the physical environment. Among these, the most frequently co-occurring strategies are telling "fiblets" and distracting and redirecting1. These approaches can help mitigate the stress and improve the quality of life for both caregivers and their parents.
Coping Strategies for Caregiver Burden
For aging parents of adult children with developmental disabilities, effective coping strategies are crucial. Research indicates that accommodative strategies, which involve adapting to stress, can buffer the impact of caregiver burden. In contrast, disengagement and distraction strategies tend to exacerbate the effects of burden on depression symptoms. Active strategies to reduce stress, known as primary engagement, are particularly effective for parents with co-resident children2. These findings suggest that engagement coping strategies can enhance resilience among caregivers.
Personal Health Planning for Former Caregivers
Former caregivers of parents with dementia often develop specific health planning outlooks based on their caregiving experiences. Those who feel capable of engaging in health planning activities tend to adopt an agentic outlook, which includes engaging in a healthy lifestyle, initiating cognitive/genetic testing, and ensuring financial and legal security. Conversely, caregivers who face barriers such as low self-efficacy or lack of social support may develop anxiety-inducing or present-focused outlooks, leading to pessimistic views on healthy aging3. Interventions aimed at supporting these former caregivers can help them adopt more positive health planning activities.
Managing Worries and Health Behaviors
Midlife adults often juggle concerns about both their aging parents and their adult children. These worries can negatively impact their health, leading to poor sleep quality and unhealthy behaviors like emotional eating. Research shows that on days when midlife adults worry about their adult children, they experience more negative emotions and are more likely to engage in comfort eating the following day4. Addressing these worries through stress management techniques can improve overall well-being.
Psychological Health and Support from Grown Children
In China, older parents who provide childcare for their grandchildren experience both positive and negative effects on their psychological health. Factors such as being male, being literate, and expecting long-term care from their grown children are significantly associated with better psychological health6. Recognizing and appreciating the contributions of older parents, while providing necessary economic and emotional support, can help maintain their psychological well-being.
Daily Support Exchanges and Mood
Aging parents often provide and receive various forms of support from their adult children, especially those facing life problems. Research indicates that parents are more likely to provide emotional and practical support to children with problems and receive emotional support and advice in return. Interestingly, providing practical support to children with problems can alleviate parents' distress7. This reciprocal support system can enhance the emotional well-being of aging parents.
Social Networks and Well-Being
The well-being and mental health of older adults are closely linked to their social networks. Non-residential children play a crucial role in providing social support, which positively correlates with the well-being of older parents8. Encouraging strong social ties and maintaining active social networks can significantly improve the mental health of aging parents.
Conclusion
Effectively managing the health of aging parents involves a multifaceted approach that includes addressing behavioral symptoms of dementia, employing effective coping strategies, engaging in personal health planning, managing worries, and leveraging social support networks. By adopting these strategies, caregivers can enhance the quality of life for their aging parents and themselves.
Sources and full results
Most relevant research papers on this topic
CARING FOR A VERY OLD PARENT WITH DEMENTIA: STRATEGIES EMPLOYED TO MANAGE BEHAVIORAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS
Older adult children caring for parents with dementia use a variety of strategies to manage behavioral and psychological symptoms, with co-occurring strategies including telling "fiblets" or lies and distracting and redirecting.
Coping and psychological health of aging parents of adult children with developmental disabilities.
Aging parents of adult children with developmental disabilities can cope with caregiver burden by using engagement coping strategies, while disengagement and distraction strategies exacerbate depression symptoms.
Observational StudyPersonal Health Planning in Adult-Child Former Caregivers of Parents Living With Dementia
Former caregivers for parents living with dementia shape their personal health planning, with barriers like low self-efficacy and pessimistic views on healthy aging hindering their engagement.
Observational StudyCaregiving Across the Life Course: Life History Findings from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS)
Worries about aging parents and adult children can lead to increased negative emotions and emotional eating, potentially impacting overall health and well-being.
Rigorous JournalRandomised controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of 'Families for Health', a family-based childhood obesity treatment intervention delivered in a community setting for ages 6 to 11 years.
Families for Health is a family-based community program for children aged 6-11 years, but its effectiveness and cost-effectiveness remain unclear.
RCTFactors Associated with the Psychological Health of Caregiving Older Parents and Support from Their Grown Children: Results from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study
Caregiving older parents' psychological health is significantly influenced by being male, literate, and expecting long-term care from their grown children.
Observational StudyRigorous JournalAging Parents’ Daily Support Exchanges With Adult Children Suffering Problems
Aging parents provide more emotional and practical support to adult children with life problems, and receiving support from these children can alleviate their distress and improve their daily mood.
Observational StudyMarriage, parenthood and social network: Subjective well-being and mental health in old age
Non-residential children are important providers of social support for their parents in older age, beyond the direct associations of family status with well-being.
Observational StudyRigorous JournalDOES CORESIDENCE IMPROVE AN ELDERLY PARENT'S HEALTH?
Intergenerational coresidence between elderly parents and adult children may not improve their overall health, with socially active elderly parents experiencing better outcomes when living with a child.
Observational StudyEmotional support from parents early in life, aging, and health.
Early parental support is associated with better mental and physical health in adulthood, with a long-term positive impact on personal control, self-esteem, and social relationships.
Observational Study
Highly CitedTry another search
usability attributes for wearables
uniqueness of human language in linguistics
The potential of machine learning in improving climate change predictions.
The role of machine learning in optimizing energy consumption and efficiency in buildings.
water scarcity as a crisis
What are the implications of deep-sea exploration for human health?