Area Agency on Aging

Striving towards good relationships between parents and adult children represents an ongoing evolution. As parents age and children mature, the relationship is redefined. A healthy relationship must be between mature adults and not parent and child. The new relationship brings more satisfaction and a newfound genuine friendship.
If the aging parents are experiencing deteriorating health that significantly compromises their good spirits, it is an added challenge for the adult children to keep a positive attitude. Certain diseases are particularly challenging such as Alzheimer’s where progressive memory loss causes the senior to no longer recognize their child or their surroundings.
Tips for good relationships between parents and adult children depend so much on the unique situation that each family represents. Generally speaking here are some recommendations that can be considered:
talk to your parents as you would to your friends with respect
avoid asking them for advice but rather talk about generic topics like sports, local news, or the weather for example
look through old photo albums together to share memories
share a project where your parents can preserve their memories on video or in a scrapbook
share mutual activities such as golf, cooking etc.