Is it possible to be a family caregiver and still enlist the help of a professional in-home care service?
Absolutely.
When an elderly loved one is in need of assistance around the house, there are times when this can be much more than a full time job. In fact, there have been many instances where someone has had to leave their job or severely cut back on their hours so that they can help provide care for their parent or grandparent. And while this is truly admirable, it shouldn’t be a compulsory thing. Honestly, oftentimes it is not the greatest choice to do this, no matter how well intentioned the decision might be.
A professional caregiver has skills and knowledge that you likely do not have. There’s nothing wrong about this; they care for the elderly as a profession. They have far more experience in this field than you most likely do. That’s not to discount the amount of experience that you might have gained caring for your mom or dad. But as a professional, experienced caregivers have learned emergency techniques and are often able to provide safer and a higher quality of care than you can on your own.
Some people believe that they are giving up or bailing on their mom or dad when they begin to supplement their own caregiving with that of a professional. This is far from the truth, though. We understand if you have these feelings, but be assured that this never the assumption. Being a caregiver is more than just doing chores for the people that you love. Being a great family caregiver is about giving your loved one the assistance that they need to get through their days safely, and part of this is recognizing that we might not have the skills or the ability to do so on our own.
Think about it this way: if you are giving your loved one substandard care because you are exhausted, or because you don’t have your house set up properly, are you giving them the highest quality care that they can get? No! You’re giving them your best, but there is better out there. A far more loving choice would be to enlist the help of a professional who can do the things that you can’t do well. You are still there for them and you are still providing for them and you’re still loving them. But what you lack in physical ability is accomplished by a professional who is trained in the areas where you are not. By getting help, you can do those things that you can better. This is what being a great family caregiver is all about.
The best family caregivers realize that they have shortcomings. They also have careers and other obligations that they must attend to. The best caregivers always put their family first, but they realize that they need to take care of themselves in order to do so. Using a professional caregiver service can help make you a better caregiver.
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