When somebody you love is struggling, you want to step in and provide help. It might be an aging parent or grandparent, but as they get older, they can’t do the same things that had once been easy for them. Whether it’s taking care of the house or the property, going to the store, or even a simple task like getting out of bed, when they experience challenges and setbacks, you want to step in and provide support.
Yet, even though you may understand the value of home care support, you become the primary caregiver. Often, it doesn’t just happen like that; it happens slowly. An adult child begins stopping by to offer assistance when they can. It might be a couple of times a month, but as the senior realizes the value of that external support and help, they might start calling more frequently.
Before you know it, you’re almost a full-time home care provider. You have become a family caregiver, even if you didn’t realize it. Along with that job comes great responsibility and added stress and anxiety (in many cases).
There are ways to cope with stress and anxiety when you’re supporting an aging family member. We look at three ways to cope with stress and encourage you to look into home care support through an agency to supplement the assistance you’re already providing.
Admit You Need Help
Too many people keep pushing on, even though the stress is getting to be overwhelming. They think it’s their responsibility, their job. Even if they think about stepping back and telling their elderly father or mother they can’t do it anymore, at least not at this pace, they suddenly start to feel guilty.
Then they can’t sleep at night, wondering what has happened to them. How can they be so cold and callous and indifferent?
You’re not indifferent. You’re not cold. You’re human. Warm-blooded. You have your limits. And you need to admit you need help. Home care is a great option to consider. It doesn’t have to replace you, but can rather supplement the care you give, allowing you to take some much-needed time to yourself or to pursue other things that are also important to you.
Turn to Local Support Groups
There are many support groups for a wide range of challenges people face in life. In your community, there is likely a local support group for family caregivers. It can offer you emotional and moral support and some of the other attendees or members might give you great insight and tips and other strategies that can help in your specific situation.
When you talk to others, especially those who are going through the same struggles you face right now, it can help in ways you may not even recognize just now.
Seek Respite Care
You may not think that hiring a home care aide to take over completely is the best course of action at this stage in your life, but you can rely on respite care. Respite is a break, a much-needed time of rest.
You can rely on home care for a couple of hours a few days a week or a couple of weeks while you get away on a vacation with your children, spouse, partner, or by yourself.
These tips can help when you feel overwhelmed trying to support a family member through these difficult times.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Home Care in Weatherford, TX, please contact the caring staff at Clear Path Home Care today at (817) 631-7710
Clear Path Home Care provides compassionate, high-quality home care in Bosque County, Hill County, Navarro County, Henderson County, Erath County, Somervell County, Johnson County, Ellis County, Parker County, Tarrant County, Dallas County, Kaufman County, Rains County, Hood County, VanZandt County, and Rockwall County in Texas.
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