–Please note, this is the first of a two-part series–
Being a family caregiver is hard–there’s no question about that. I’ve written about this on several occasions here at the blog, but it’s something that is worth reminding people about. It’s a big task. If you’re currently doing this for a loved one–THANK YOU! It is a big undertaking and we all acknowledge that here at Paradise In-Home Care.
If you’re thinking about caring for a loved one, don’t be overwhelmed! Family care isn’t impossible. It can be challenging for sure, but many rewarding things in life are challenging.
Start with your loved one’s needs, evaluate how those can be met, and put supports in place to help your family meet those needs. This is overly simplistic, but these are the basic steps needed to care for someone. Supports can include planned respite, professional care, or even just having someone to talk to or help you out once in a while.
This isn’t the only challenge that arises with senior care, however. Not all families live together or even closeby. At the time of writing this, my mom is an eight hour drive away from me. And while she doesn’t require senior care at this point, I know that this is something on the horizon for us as she will be turning 70 in the next few weeks. The question that has been on my mind a lot recently is: how can I assist with her care when I live so far away?
First, I know that I need to evaluate whether she even needs care. I need to speak with her–preferably on video chat since that is so easy now–at least once a week. This gives me an idea of where she is physically and mentally. Changes can be hard to spot remotely, but it’s not impossible. My sister lives close to her, and having a set of eyes to double check the things I’m seeing helps. If you don’t have a loved one near your older family member, check in with their friends or neighbors over the phone once in a while to get an idea of what they are seeing.
There are other steps that can be taken, too. These will be covered in my next post.
When a loved one needs assistance it’s usually a situation that we haven’t found ourselves in before. And even though caring for another human being is something we tend to do often–especially if you have kids–caring for an older parent or grandparent is different. Elderly folk don’t have the same naivete that babies do. They have life experiences, goals, hopes, dreams, and other interests that they want to pursue. Needing extra help around the house is not just part of life for them like it is a child, it’s a huge blow to the way that they’ve always lived their life. And because of this, it comes with a degree of frustration or even anger.
Navigating this well is possible. If you’re acting as a family caregiver, either in the same house as your loved one or from across the world, it’s okay to reach out for help. That’s where a service like ours can be of benefit to your family. At Paradise In-Home Care, we don’t just provide senior care. We provide companionship and guidance. We would love to be a part of your team and assist your family through this. Please reach out if you’d like to learn more.
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