The pandemic has hit us as a country hard. It can be easy to semi-dismiss this and say something like, “everyone’s being hit hard. Just because I’m stressed and tired doesn’t mean that I have it bad. Everyone’s in the same boat.” And while this is true, it ignores a very important truth: what you are feeling right now is real. The burnout, the fatigue, the weight of it all–no one else can really experience what you are feeling. No one else is getting worn down by your emotions.
Now, there’s a lot to unpack when it comes to statements like the one I modelled above. And unfortunately, this isn’t the place for that. But, just because we’ve been through a lot already does not mean that the coronavirus pandemic is over. It doesn’t mean that we can loosen our resolve to stay safe and to help others do the same. We’ve been through a lot, but that doesn’t mean that it’s over. The big spikes in cases that we’ve been seeing in certain parts of the country are all indicators of this.
But we also need to recognize that there are a lot of people that are hurting right now, and when it comes to the senior population, this is being magnified. As care centers across the country have had to implement rules to help keep residents safe, seniors are facing greater isolation than ever before. Reported instances of difficulties related to mental illness have increased significantly.
And the burden of helping, which was shared in many respects before, is falling almost exclusively to those that work within these facilities. Family and friends cannot visit like they once did, so the increased need for socialization is falling to caregivers and care professionals. While this is an aspect of what caregivers can (and should) do, it isn’t their only job. For some, the increased workload has made this job harder than it already was. Being a caregiver is not easy. It is excruciatingly difficult for some now that the COVID-19 pandemic is here.
In some respects, part of this is on the care industry as a whole for not having properly anticipated what a widespread pandemic might do to the world of care. No one was really sure how a pandemic would impact nursing homes and care centers, but we all probably should have known this. However, it’s not too late to make changes. Using services like in-home care can help to alleviate some of this burden that is being placed on caregivers. Rather than working in a quarantined facility all day, and then have to isolate while at home, caregivers are minimizing their exposure to the elderly while at work because the care that they are providing takes place in a single home. Obviously, precautionary measures and proper social distancing should still take place whenever possible, but the widespread risk is drastically reduced when this model is properly followed.
Do you want to learn more about how in-home care can help your family reduce risk? Let us know. Give us a call or email us to set up a brief–and free–consultation. We can answer your questions and help get you pointed toward the best senior care choices to help fit your family’s unique needs.
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