When the family member we are trying to care for is impossible to please, long-standing family dynamics are often to blame.
Caring for elders is hard enough when they are just confused or demanding because of advanced age, loss of independence and mounting health issues.
When they are truly abusive, caregivers should not expect to embark on this journey without emotional and practical supports.
In those cases, we often need the help of professionals to find a solution, like palliative care for symptom relief or a memory care unit that is better equipped to handle a dementia patient’s difficult behaviors.
Many members of Aging Care’s Caregiver Forum talk about caring for parents who have abused them for a lifetime. Aging, and the problems that come with it, often makes this abuse more intense. A frail parent may no longer be able to lash out physically, but that loss of control sometimes makes their tongue an even stronger weapon.
Yet, it’s natural for adult children to love their parents and even want to care for them as they age. The little kid inside of us most likely still wants our parents’ approval. When we can’t get that, even as adults, it hurts.
If you had a difficult childhood and troubled relationship into adulthood, how do you care for abusive parents without incurring additional harm? How do you persevere in spite of their ongoing criticism and abuse?
Caregiving with Personal Boundaries
Many counselors would suggest “detaching with love.” Detaching is a method of setting boundaries to protect yourself by creating emotional distance from the actions of another. By giving up the notion that you can control an abusive person’s behavior, you stop allowing them to control your emotions and behaviors. It is hard and takes practice, but detaching works for many.
When you acknowledge that you can’t control or satisfy a toxic individual, you stop trying to do so. Conversely, the person who has been pushing your buttons starts to see that these triggers don’t work anymore. Detaching with love means that you affirm your love for the person, but also make it clear that you will no longer tolerate being treated with cruelty or disrespect.
Arranging Care while Setting Boundaries
You must be clear and steadfast when setting these boundaries.
If your loved one continues to complain and act out just to test your resolve or manipulate you, tell them you will make other arrangements for their care until you both cool off.
Detaching from someone you provide care for is significantly more complicated than other situations. Because you cannot simply walk away without potentially endangering their welfare, this takes some planning, especially if they require a high level of care.
You may need to arrange for adult day care, in-home care services or even a temporary stay at a long-term care facility. Once you have back-up care in place, you can call and check in on an as-needed basis.
The main objective is not to waver. If you tell this person that you are setting boundaries, arranging for outside help and leaving them for a time, then do it.
A marked absence and clear commitment to your own wellbeing may be enough of a reality check for your loved one, but in some cases, their behavior is too deeply ingrained. You may need regular respite care to get away often enough to see to your own physical and emotional health.
Know When to Remove Yourself from the Caregiving Equation
One thing to be aware of is that this damaging cycle causes many abused children to become abusers themselves.
Put an end to this problem by setting clear boundaries, calling in reinforcements when you need them, and recognizing when it is time to let others take over the caregiving role, either temporarily or permanently.
You don’t want to be a person who “loses it” after enduring life-long hardship.
Returning abuse is never the answer. If you recognize these feelings surfacing in yourself, get help immediately. Stop the cycle by arranging for someone else to take over.
Work out a solution with another family member or a professional caregiver, or consider placement in a long-term care facility. If your situation is truly intolerable and you are reaching your limits, social services or a guardianship organization can step in to ensure your loved one’s safety (and your own).
In severe cases, it is best for a non-family member to be in charge of providing care and making decisions. You can visit and assist as much or as little as you see fit without subjecting yourself to additional mistreatment. This is a difficult step, but in some cases, it’s the only way to protect yourself, get your loved one the care they need and end the cycle of abuse.
Seek Counseling for Help with Past and Present Abuse
Therapy can help enormously if you find yourself in this situation. Toughing it out or placing your parent in the care of others and then feeling guilty about it won’t help, but discovering the roots of these problems may.
A professional can help you work through past trauma and learn to handle current and future issues in a healthy manner. They can also guide you through the detachment process.
Following through on your personal boundaries could help you weather caregiving in a safe and sane manner or enable you to step back and let someone else take over these responsibilities.
Caring for elders is hard enough when they are just cranky or demanding because of advanced age, loss of independence and mounting health issues. When they are truly abusive, caregivers should not expect to embark on this journey without emotional and practical supports.
Lewy Body Dementia UK 