Connecting moments between an aging parent and an adult child can dwindle over the course of time. This may not be the fault of either individual. For example, with my father's Alzheimer's disease, he lost both his memories and his ability to speak ... I would consider myself lucky to hear a mumble from him. In this case, having a conversation with Dad when I visited him was impossible. Should your mother or father be in a similar situation (due to a stroke, dementia, etc.), know that there remain ways to connect with him/her. Here are just a few suggestions:
Share a hobby with your parent. With Dad always being an avid book lover, I would often read to him. I believe that it really didn't matter what I chose to read, hearing the words provided some familiarity. What did your parent enjoy doing? Gardening? Finger painting? Can you continue or adapt this hobby?
Peruse photos. In the case of Alzheimer's patients, the long-term memory is, typically, the last thing to go. You may still be able to connect with your parent by showing him/her old family/vacation photos. Even if you cannot talk about your respective memories, you may easily get broad smiles of recognition with seeing a person, a time or a place from the past.
Provide a personal touch. One of the easiest ways to literally connect with a person is to touch him/her. By holding your parent's hand, for example, you can maintain a vital link. And, with hand-holding, you can do this either while walking with your parent or sitting and relaxing.
Although your parent is aging, there are still ample ways to maintain a strong connection with him/her. Try this for yourself and reap the benefits!
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