Friendship is a key component of happiness in life, and unfortunately, many older people miss out on this. It happens for various reasons, some of which are unpreventable. As we get older, people that we love pass away, move away, or otherwise disappear from our lives. That is a part of life. But for our elderly parents and grandparents (and ourselves!), friendship is a necessary part of an emotionally healthy lifestyle. This is one area where top quality in-home care shines brighter than any other form of senior care.
Studies exist that show how devastating loneliness can be on someone’s health, and this is something that is prevalent among senior citizens. Friendship isn’t just a nice thing, science seems to say, but a necessity. Humans are social beings, and if that is taken away, health–both physical and mental–suffers drastically as a result.
In-home care, while primarily designed to help care for the physical needs of senior citizens, also has the potential to create vital friendships. The bond between a caregiver and the person receiving the care doesn’t need to just be a professional one, but can become a very close friendship.
Choosing the right caregiver to enter your home and help your mom or dad around the house is important. When the right caregiver becomes a part of your family, not only is the burden of worrying about whether or not they will be safe and cared for throughout the day relieved, but a new friend enters their life. Yes, it takes time to build trust and closeness, and this is why having the best caregiver as soon as possible is so crucial. A caregiver isn’t just someone who comes in and takes care of a few things, helping your mom and dad with the necessities to get through the day until you are home. A great caregiver is someone who is compassionate, truly caring about your parent’s needs. They are loving, self-sacrificing, and ensure that needs are not just met, but that joy is present. In this process, it is inevitable that a close bond is formed. In many cases, this becomes a lasting friendship.
Make sure that whatever caregiver service you go through to find a caregiver helps this to happen. For example, if you go through an agency where available caregivers are paired up with those in need based upon proximity and a payment agreement, there are no safeguards in place to facilitate happiness. Matches are merely a matter of convenience. When a service has an in-house staff of caregivers, all of whom can be vouched for because they were trained in-house, have had background checks, and have had plenty of experience, then your family’s odds of being paired with the perfect person to come in and help go up. This is a large relief to many people, who just want their parent to be surrounded by the people that love them and want the best for them. And a new friendship is never a bad thing, regardless of what stage of life you are in.
Leave a Reply