Companionship is the aspect of care that often goes the most unmentioned. However, it is one of the most important things that an in-home caregiver can provide, and it’s not something that you will find listed on any insurance company’s chart for approved activities of daily living. It usually just occurs as a byproduct of the necessary help that’s needed, but it definitely doesn’t need to be this way. Being there for a friend for your elderly loved one is something that cannot be taught, and it is one of the most helpful things that a caregiver can do for your family.
There are countless studies that have been performed and published that go into detail about how mental health is so important for the overall health of senior citizens. A happier disposition and more positive outlook on life can have a profound impact upon every other aspect of health, but these things can be difficult to achieve if your parent or grandparent doesn’t look forward to every day. When you’re confined to a single location, the monotony can become draining after a while, but having a friend visiting you on a regular basis can reverse this. This is where a friendly in-home care service will be helpful to you. A caregiver that your loved one enjoys and considers to be a friend will give the something to look toward each day, it will keep them happy and hopeful, and it will help improve their mental health in a huge way.
Depression is a serious issue amongst all members of our population, but in the senior community, it often goes unmentioned. This is unfortunate because it affects the quality of life severely, yet it’s something that is often very treatable. A mixture of counseling, exercise, and medication can yield very good results when it comes to this particular mental illness, yet depression can become crippling or worse if it is left unchecked. Still, the best way to deal with depression is to make sure that it doesn’t become an intrusive problem, and one easy way to do this is to prevent the routine boredom of being left alone day after day. When a caregiver is there to help around the house and be there to talk to your parent, boredom disappears and the odds of depression go way down.
The other issue is that frustration can spiral out of control when someone has difficulty doing the things that they once did without thinking. Read any autobiography of someone with a disability and this becomes quite clear. Everyday tasks like making meals, going to the bathroom, moving around the house, and even letting the dog out are all things that most people are able to do and take these things completely for granted until they can no longer do them. When these things become difficult or impossible, having someone to relieve the stress that occurs is vital to keeping happy and looking forward. Again, this is what in-home care is for. It often goes unsaid, but the mental relief that comes with care is one of its most important attributes.
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