If you happen to be in control of the majority of the care for senior parents while your brothers and sisters distance themselves from assisting with senior care, you are not alone. In fact, half of all family caregivers are caring for an aging loved one alone, based on a recently available report from AARP.
Understanding why this circumstance is so common – and learning what can you do to protect your own personal health, which can quickly be impacted by caring for a senior loved one without any help – is critical. Our aging care experts have the answers.
- They are afraid or uncomfortable. For a person who has never cared for a senior loved one, it can be truly overwhelming.
What you can do: Invite them to “shadow” you for a day to help increase confidence with the particular duties that they are uncomfortable with. A little bit of hands-on instruction tends to make a big difference. - Family members do not recognize there is a need for support. It may very well be that from the outside looking in, you have everything under control and running smoothly, and you are not in need of their assistance.
What you can do: Have a truthful, open discussion, describing the pressure you are under. Invite your siblings as well as other members of the family to come over to visit during a period of higher intensity care needs, such as when you are planning and preparing dinner and then helping the senior prepare for bed, and recruit their help to allow them to see for themselves how much work is involved. - They don’t know what to do to help. Although it might seem instinctive to just jump in and meet the senior’s needs, that is not the situation for everybody.
What you can do: Make a list of specific duties that you could use help with, together with the times and days that help and support are needed, and ask for volunteers.
How Can Home Care Help?
At Carolina Hearts Home Care, our experienced caregivers in Laurinburg, Rockingham, Raeford and the surrounding areas are always here to work with you to meet the care needs of a senior loved one, with expertise, compassion, and dedication. Reach out to us at 1-855-277-2005 to learn more about our in-home care services.
