As your parents age, there comes a time when you may have to provide them with senior care. If you’re in that position right now, you can probably appreciate how challenging that can be. While the time you spend with an elderly parent can be extremely rewarding, it requires a lot of hard work. The important thing is to realize that you’re not in this alone. There are friends, families, and professionals who are there to help you provide the quality of senior care your loved one deserves.
Be Honest With Yourself
While it’s perfectly normal to expect yourself to be able to provide all the senior care on your own, it’s not always realistic. It’s useful to try to step back from the situation a little bit and examine it with fresh eyes. Does the care you’re providing take up too much time? Is it causing a strain on your job or personal relationships? These are the kinds of questions you’ll need to answer to determine whether it’s time to look for more help.
Discuss With Your Family
Too often senior care becomes the responsibility of a single-family member. If you find yourself in this situation, be sure to talk to your siblings about the challenges you’re going through. They might not even be aware of your parent’s needs, and they’ll want to know if you could use some more help.
You can start by dividing up the responsibilities. You and a sibling could trade-off senior care between weekends and weekdays, or mornings and evenings. Even a little extra time off can make a world of difference in your mental and physical wellbeing.
Seek Professional Assistance
At some point, you and your family might not be able to provide the level of help your loved one needs. Whether it’s due to time constraints or health concerns, professional caregivers can be called upon to provide the assistance necessary to ensure that your parent is happy and healthy.
Caregivers are professionals who trained to care for your loved one’s physical and mental needs. They can assist them with daily tasks such as bathing and dressing, but they also have the expertise to deal with complicated health problems such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other senior-related issues.
By turning to a professional for help, you’ll find that your schedule opens up. Without having to tend to your parent’s every need, you’ll discover that you can spend more quality time with them engaging in conversation, going for a walk, or watching movies. Furthermore, you’re the one who determines your caregiver’s schedule. Whether you only require extra assistance while your loved one rehabs from an injury or you need more hands-on, full-time care, the choice is up to you.
At Home Care Assistance of Greater Burlington, we can provide your family with all your senior care needs. To learn more about what we have to offer — or for a free consultation — you can contact us online, or give us a call today at (802) 231-0415.