If one or both of your parents are at the stage where they require assistance to get through daily life then you have a big decision to make. Many elderly parents will tell their sons and daughters that they do not want to go into assisted living or a nursing home. They want to stay in their own home and receive the assistance that they need there.
So you need to think about the best way to provide the assistance to your parent that they need. You can either become the primary care giver yourself or place your parent’s care in the hands of professionals. Of course it is possible to do both as well.
Providing the Care yourself
If you choose this option then you need to be prepared for some hard work and challenging times. It is demanding being a caregiver to a family member and there are a number of things that you need to take into account to prepare for this. There will always be something that you hadn’t anticipated when you transition to a caregiver.
In general caregivers will provide support to ensure that their parents attend much needed medical appointments. Caregivers usually have to prepare meals and even bathe groom, and dress their loved one. You will be the prime source of transportation and you will have to take your parent anywhere they need to go at the drop of a hat.
Your parent will also expect you to spend a lot of time with them and keep them entertained and engaged. If you have your own family and a job then this can be a real challenge for you. If you tell your parent that you can’t be there for them at certain times then they will tell you that they understand but this will not stop you from feeling guilty about the situation.
We will not pull any punches here – if you decide to become a family caregiver then you can expect a lot of emotional stress as well as feeling a big strain on your physical and mental health. This is especially true if you have your own family who may start to resent you being away from them.
So if you are determined to provide the care yourself then you need to answer a number of questions. The first of these concerns your financial situation. If you have to give up your job to take care of your aging parent can you and your family handle this?
Then you need to question yourself about your capabilities of providing care to your parent. Do you believe that you can do this alone or will you need to seek professional assistance? What about the resources that you are going to need? And then there is the much needed support from your family to keep you going.
You may think that this is selfish but you really need to think about the mental and physical strain that care giving will place on you. It is vital that you take some breaks when you give care and if help is available from elsewhere then accept it gladly.
A lot of elderly people suffer from dementia and can say some pretty hurtful things to you. Can you handle it if your parent tells you that you are useless for example? They may even forget your name. These are just some of the aspects you need to consider when looking to provide care to your aging parent.
There is a Better way For Senior Care in Glendale Heights Il
Even if you want to be involved in the provision of care for your elderly parent, and there is no reason that you shouldn’t, then you do not have to do it all yourself. You can enlist the services of a professional home care provider to take care of your parent during the day.
Home care services can help with all kinds of activities such as cooking nutritious meals, personal hygiene and grooming, medication management, transportation for appointments with the doctor and other things, household chores and much more.
When you hire home care services you can continue to work or do whatever you do during the day. If you choose the right home care provider you will never need to worry about your parent being in the right hands.
We have been providing top quality home care services for some time now. We can help you too. To find out more about what we have to offer please call 331-281-0728