Being a caregiver for a senior parent can be challenging and tiring. If you find yourself in this situation, there are ways to make caregiving less strenuous.
Caregiving Is More than a Full-Time Job
For most people, there’s time on the clock and time off the clock. You work your eight- or ten-hour day, and you can go home and relax. However, when you’re a caregiver for an elderly parent, your “work time” never ends. Depending on how much care your parent needs, you may even need to be getting up through the night to manage medications or change your parent’s position. If possible, seek out resources for respite care in your community. Even an afternoon or evening to yourself once a week can offer tremendous benefits for your mental health. A backup caregiver could be a trained professional, or it could simply be a neighbor or friend who comes by to keep your parent company.
Families who need help caring for a senior loved one can turn to Home Care Assistance, a leading provider of elder care. Services available in our customizable care plans include meal prep, mental and social stimulation, assistance with personal hygiene tasks, and much more.
Seeing Your Parent Seem Vulnerable Is Emotionally Stressful
As children, kids often see their parents as strong and invincible, and it’s not unusual for those feelings to carry on into adulthood. It’s very difficult to see the people who loved and raised you get weaker. This is a time when you need all the help and support you can get. Make time for a chat with a friend or a long walk with a family member. Develop your own hobbies or join an online book club. You must have things that are just about you so you don’t lose yourself in being your loved one’s caregiver.
Your Parent May Give You a Hard Time
While a lifetime of shared memories and a high comfort level are amazing in many ways, they also pose challenges. Your parent may be more likely to resist your help out of pride, or he or she may be more comfortable arguing with you over medications or safety measures than he or she would be with someone he or she only knows in a professional setting. If possible, consider having a professional caregiver come in to handle at least some of the aspects of your loved one’s care to ease the strain for both of you. Remember to keep building your relationship and let your parent keep as much dignity as possible.
Professional caregivers can be a wonderful source of information and support for family members caring for aging loved ones. When researching agencies that provide at-home care, 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.
Your Home May Not Be Set Up Well for Caregiving
You may have purchased your home years ago with your preferences in mind or with an eye to how well it would work for raising children. Your home might not be ideal for your loved one if there are a lot of stairs, hallways are too narrow for a walker or wheelchair to comfortably fit through, or there’s no ramp to get up to the front door. Talk to your parent’s healthcare workers to see if there’s a way to get any assistance with making your home easier to navigate, such as installing a chair to ride up the stairs, a hospital bed if necessary, or a ramp. If you can’t get help through official channels, consider asking friends, other family members, or neighbors to lend their expertise.
Whether you need respite from your caregiving duties or your aging loved one needs live-in care, Edmonton, AB, Home Care Assistance can meet your family’s care needs. Our dedicated caregivers are available around the clock to provide transportation to doctor’s appointments, ensure seniors take their prescribed medications, and help with a variety of tasks in and outside the home. Call one of our friendly Care Managers today at (780) 490-7337 to learn more about our customized care plans.