Are you aware that senior couples are more likely to have arguments compared to the young or newly wedded spouses? “The responsibility of providing care for an aging or ill loved one is a challenge in its own right,” says Carol Bradley Bursack, an expert in handling senile people. This does not come off as a surprise especially when we know that old individuals tend to have more complicated issues than those coming from the new generation. As such, do not be shocked if you will find out that your mom and dad could not get along very well. Take note that old age necessarily involves health complications which make them feel anxious, stressed or irritable most of the time. “Dealing with a stubborn parent is not the same as dealing with a stubborn child. Older people should be autonomous,” says Robert Kane, M.D.
Do not worry because there are some tips and tricks that you could use to make them stay happy in their marriage. Here is a complete list of the things that you need to do:
- Talk To Them Individually. Let your parents know and feel that you will always be with them no matter how busy you are at work or in business. Because of this, it is essential that you strike a conversation with both your parents. Use this as an opportunity to learn more about the problems or issues that they have for each other. “One of the scariest things to people as they age is that they don’t feel in control anymore,” says Steven Zarit PhD.
.
- Never Meddle With Their Affairs. Once you find out about the common causes of the conflict in their marital life, be sure to avoid meddling in their affairs. Do not try to make the situation worse by trying to fix their relationship. Let them find ways on how they could settle everything. Stop asking incriminating inquiries or questions to your parents.
- Avoid Choosing Sides. The least that you want to do is to make any of your old parents upset. As such, it is essential that you stay or remain in the middle at all times. Even if you believe that only one of them is correct, it is still best to just keep it to yourself. Do not make any of your parents feel that you are taking them for granted.
- Ask For Help. If you think that the issues between your parents have become serious, then it is time to ask for assistance from others. Consider yourself lucky if you have other siblings who could help you with this matter. All you have to do is to make a phone call and inform them about the situation. On the other hand, if you are an only child, do not hesitate to seek help from your wife or other family members.
- Give Them More Reasons To Be Happy. As already mentioned above, the feeling of sadness or grief is only typical of seniors. They usually have low self-esteem, which is why they can quickly get mad or annoyed. To prevent this from taking place, you can try exerting more effort in making them happy. Give your parents more reason to smile. Continue doing it until you can notice an improvement in their mood or the way they treat each other.
Do not give up on your parents, especially now that they have become old. Always make them feel how much you love them.