Sometimes adult children who act as family caregivers to their elderly parents bring their children along while they take care of their caregiver duties. That’s a wonderful thing since it gives the child a chance to get to know their grandparent and spend some time with them building memories that will last a lifetime. However, it can sometimes be hard to keep a child occupied while you do the things you need to get done. One way to keep the child busy and foster a relationship between your aging parent and your child is to give them things to do together, like the activities below.
Board Games
Board games are often appealing to both older adults and children. In addition to being a fun way to pass the time, they can help the child to build important skills, like counting or learning colors. For older adults, they can help to keep the mind sharp. The kinds of games that are appropriate for your parent and your child depends on the age of the child and the abilities of the senior. If the senior has dementia, be sure the game is easy enough for them to grasp the rules. It’s also a good idea to talk to your child about how to handle it when their grandparent doesn’t understand the rules or breaks them.
Decorating Cookies
When you have some extra time, try baking a few batches of cookies to put in your parent’s freezer. That way, when your child comes along, you can pull out some cookies for them to decorate with your parent while you perform caregiver tasks. Keep some store-bought frosting on hand as well as sprinkles and other things to decorate with.
Making Crafts
Kids usually love making crafts. The activity is often something older adults like, too, especially when they can enjoy it with a grandchild. Gather some basic art supplies and keep them in a box or closet at your parent’s house. Take them out and encourage the senior and child to make something together. While they create works of art, you can do whatever is on your caregiver to do list.
Reading Books
Encourage your parent to read to their grandchild. This can help to keep their mind sharp. If your parent has trouble reading because of vision or cognitive problems, ask your child to read to their grandparent. This can help your child to build reading skills while also entertaining your parent.
If you or an aging loved one is considering elder care in Lone Tree, CO, please contact the caring staff at SYNERGY HomeCare today at 303-953-9924.
