A while ago, we ran a few articles about how important it is to care for ourselves if we are going to be good caregivers to the people we love. This is still a must, but it is now receiving further attention on a national scale. A book by Ai-Jen Poo, The Age of Dignity: Preparing for the Elder Boom in a Changing America, highlights this issue, amongst many others. In this book, she talks about her grandmother having a stroke, and her grandfather tirelessly caring for his wife for years. When he went into a nursing home, Poo worries that he did not receive the same love and attention that her grandmother did before passing away.
This is a similar situation all over the United States. Family caregivers–whether they be a husband or wife, a child, or a grandchild–are providing help for the people that they love, yet so many of them are unable to give everything that the person that they care so deeply about needs. And while many people do not want to turn to professional help, in a case like this it is often the best choice. A professional caregiver does the things that you are unable to do. And the best caregivers do it with love and compassion.
Either way, it’s important that you are giving your mom, dad, grandma, or anyone, the best care possible. If this means taking a day or a week off from helping them, then alternative plans need to be made. Many care services offer respite care. They will give your family member the care and attention that they need, but not on a permanent basis. Going with a professional service that specializes in this will be helpful in order for you to avoid getting a lower quality caregiver. It gives you the break that you need to recharge and be rest, relaxed, and more focused when you do start helping out your loved one again.
Respite care serves another purpose in that if you think long term care is going to be necessary down the road, it gives you a chance to try it out without a commitment. If you use a respite service for a week and you find that your father and the caregiver get along really well, two months later when his needs become more severe, you will have a good starting point for finding him the best senior care out there.
In-home care is a great way to keep your loved one right where they want to be: in their own home. When you are providing that care on your own, things can get tricky though. You can do it in some cases, but not if you are unable to find time for yourself once in a while. Using a respite service will allow you to take care of the things that you need to do on a personal level, and then still be the superior family member that you want to be. Finding balance can be tough, so do not hesitate to use the resources you have available in your community.
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