November is National Family Caregivers Month, a time to recognize, appreciate, and honor all those who dedicate their lives to caring for others. While this can be one of the most rewarding jobs to have, it’s also incredibly demanding – especially when you’re caring for someone in your own family.
Spending each day caring for the needs of another, whether it be helping with their medical needs, shopping for groceries on their behalf, or handling their banking, will take a toll on anyone over time. Most caregivers feel as if they need to be “on duty” all day every day, leaving them with very little time or energy to focus on themselves and their own needs.
Eventually, you might wonder if now is the right time to bring in outside help to relieve some of the tasks you’ve taken on and enable you to step away from your position as “caregiver” and become the son, or niece, or sibling once again.
WHEN IS THE RIGHT TIME TO BRING IN OUTSIDE HELP?
It can be difficult to decide when to bring in outside help. To start, consider whether you’ve noticed the following in your loved one:
- Difficulty with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), including bathing, eating, or walking.
- Personal health and safety concerns, like risk of injury or illness.
- Loss of mobility or strength.
- Self-neglect or isolation/depression.
Taking these factors into consideration, you might decide your loved one is in need of more care than you can provide – and professional caregivers can help.
HOW TO TALK TO YOUR LOVED ONE ABOUT GETTING HELP
Once you’ve determined outside help is needed, you’ll have to have a discussion with your loved one about it. It is likely they will respond with concerns about privacy, costs, or even pride, but it’s important to remind them that:
- In-home caregivers enable them to maintain independence within their homes and age in place, rather than having to move to a senior living community.
- In comparison, in-home care tends to be less expensive and provides more personalized, flexible care than senior living communities.
- Outside help is a gift to both them and yourself. Make sure they understand you will feel more comfortable knowing someone else is there with them, and they will ultimately be safer and more comfortable with their needs taken care of.
FIND THE RIGHT HELP FOR YOU
Some prefer to find their own private caregivers through individualized job boards or websites. Others may prefer to work with a home care agency like Kennedy Care because they:
- Handle all of the screening, hiring, and paying for you
- Accommodate variable schedules
- Easily provide additional workers if yours is unavailable or not quite the right fit
Additionally, if you’re still unsure about what kind of care you need, Kennedy Care offers a free Care Assessment to help determine and develop a plan of care customized to your situation.
Nearly 90% of adults over the age of 50 want to remain at home to age in place. Professional caregivers allow them to continue to have the lifestyle they want, while being cared for at the same time – ultimately enabling family caregivers to focus more on their personal lives without having to worry about their safety and health.
For more information about in-home care, or to schedule your free Care Assessment, contact Kennedy Care here. We look forward to helping you with your home care needs!
