Caregivers spend a substantial amount of time caring for their aging loved ones in addition to handling their own personal and professional commitments. Their daily lives can be challenging, especially without assistance from others. Continue reading to learn why support is vital to the wellbeing of family caregivers.
1. Take Time Off
Taking time off to visit with friends, attend your child’s soccer game, or catch up on rest can reduce the risk of burnout, which is why you need support from others. Having your friends and family step in to help with caregiving tasks frees up time to practice self-care and do things you enjoy. Failing to take time off could negatively affect your wellbeing and prevent you from providing adequate care to your loved one.
Caring for a senior loved one can be rewarding, but it can also be overwhelming for family caregivers who have other responsibilities they need to focus on. For these families, the perfect solution is respite care. Edmonton families rely on our caregivers whenever they need time to rest, work, run errands, and even go on vacation.
2. Receive Help with Important Decisions
At some point, you’ll need to make vital decisions about your loved one’s health, whether it’s deciding what diet your parent will follow, where he or she will live, or who will handle his or her finances. Having support from siblings and other family members can make these decisions less intimidating.
3. Vent
When situations become overwhelming, you need to discuss these challenges honestly and openly without being judged. It’s crucial for family caregivers to have a support system because they must remain positive around their loved ones, regardless of how bad things become. However, you should never keep these emotions bottled inside, because it could lead to depression and other disorders. Having people you can vent to can prevent burnout and enhance mental health.
4. Receive Tips
Letting others in and accepting support can make caregiving a better experience. Your siblings may have tips to simplify your duties or advice on how to get others involved with your loved one’s care. Instead of ignoring the support of family and friends, be open to their opinions and suggestions. The tips could make your days a lot easier.
Professional caregivers can be a wonderful source of information and support for family members caring for aging loved ones. When researching agencies that provide senior home care, 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.
5. Prevent Work-Related Issues
Without support from others, you could begin to fall behind on your workload, putting your job in jeopardy. A supportive network of family and friends means extra help with meal prep, errands, medication management, social activities, household chores, and other aspects of your parent’s care plan. The assistance prevents you from having to take a leave of absence from work. It’s okay to telecommute or take time off if approved by your employer, but you should maintain social networks to prevent isolation.
6. Manage Stress
Family caregivers who receive support are less likely to become upset when caring for seniors with cognitive impairment or mobility limitations. The extra help could lower your stress levels and help you manage anxiety. As a result, you can handle the challenges in a calm manner. Knowing you have family and friends to rely on or professional caregivers who can step in to relieve you of your duties can make the role less stressful.
Seniors can face a variety of age-related challenges. Though some families choose to take on the caregiving duties, there may come a time when they need a trusted Edmonton senior care provider. Families sometimes need respite from their duties so they can focus on their other responsibilities, and some seniors need around-the-clock assistance that their families are not able to provide. Home Care Assistance is here to help. Call us today at (780) 490-7337 to learn about our high-quality in-home care services.