The role of a family caregiver can be great, but it can also bring about challenging and stressful times. When caregivers are unable to control their stress levels, their risk of burnout and severe health issues could increase. Here are some of the pressures family caregivers experience and how to prevent each cause.
Taking on Too Much
Your health needs to be in good shape or you won’t be able to provide adequate care to your senior parent. Therefore, you should practice self-care and make it a priority to get others involved with caregiver-related tasks. When you receive help from family and friends or hire a professional caregiver to help out, you can reduce the amount of stress you’re under and use the free time to focus on your own healthcare needs. Asking for help doesn’t make you a bad caregiver. It helps you control stress and maintain a high quality of life.
Family caregivers need to care for their own wellbeing, too. If you’re caring for an aging loved one and are feeling overwhelmed, consider hiring a professional caregiver to provide respite care. Edmonton families who want to prevent burnout can turn to Home Care Assistance. One of our professional caregivers can assist your loved one at home while you take a nap, go to work, run errands, or go on vacation.
Financial Pressure
If you’re responsible for your loved one’s finances, you could become stressed when his or her earnings don’t cover the costs of medical bills, utilities, house payments, prescriptions, and other necessities. Taking on this financial burden may be too much to handle and cause you to turn to bad habits such as drinking, smoking, and emotional eating. Look into financial resources available to the elderly and apply to those organizations and agencies. Your parent may be eligible for free or discounted transportation and medical services, meals, and housing.
Uncertainty
Fear is a common emotion among family caregivers. They worry about their loved ones’ health instead of hoping for the best. Being uncertain about your loved one recovering from an injury or being afraid of an age-related condition progressing at a fast rate could cause chronic stress or obsessive disorders, which could impact your wellbeing and increase caregiver-related stress. Remember you cannot prevent cognitive decline, but you can help your loved one take steps to boost his or her cognitive health. Don’t think about the worst. Instead, focus on the time you have now and make the most of it.
Professional caregivers can be a wonderful source of support for family caregivers who are feeling the effects of stress. When researching agencies that provide home care services, Edmonton, AB, families are usually looking for flexible care plans, compassionate and highly trained caregivers, and 24/7 availability. Whether you need respite care to take a break from your caregiving duties or your senior loved one needs around-the-clock assistance at home, you can rely on Home Care Assistance.
Isolation
One of the top causes of caregiver-related stress is withdrawing from society and quitting work or letting go of personal goals. Getting out of the house and participating in activities you enjoyed before becoming a family caregiver is essential. Don’t become so consumed with your parent’s care that you forget to live your own life. You need to socialize with people your age and take extended breaks from time to time to prevent isolation, unwind, and reduce stress. Maintain a balance among your personal, professional, and caregiving commitments.
If you’re feeling stressed and overwhelmed by your caregiving responsibilities, a professional caregiver can provide the support and encouragement you and your loved one need. Caring for a senior loved one can be challenging for families who don’t have expertise or professional training in home care, but this challenge doesn’t have to be faced alone. Family caregivers can turn to Edmonton Home Care Assistance for the help they need. We provide high-quality live-in and respite care as well as comprehensive Alzheimer’s, dementia, stroke, and Parkinson’s care. To hire a dedicated caregiver, call Home Care Assistance at (780) 490-7337 today.