Caring for the Caregiver
The relationships we experience
in life are meaningful, some more meaningful than others. Most of us would rank
our relationships with our family ahead of relationships we have with most
friends or work colleagues, but there is another type of relationship many
families have come to grips with when a loved one is no longer able to care for
themselves. There are few relationships that are as delicate as that of the
patient and the caregiver.
Generally there will be two types
of caregivers, either a family member or a paid caregiver.
If a family decides that some
outside help is needed, entrusting someone to care for an aging parent in our
absence is like trusting a daycare or babysitter to look after our children. If
you are uneasy about the level of care provided, peace of mind is impossible.
If you find a outside caregiver that has a good rapport with the patient and
shares the importance of the loved one’s well being, many times this caregiver
will end up being like an extended member of the family.
In any relationship trust takes
time. This is no different in the patient and caregiver relationship, no matter
whether the caregiver is a family member or someone who is paid to look after
an aging parent.
Remember the Caregiver
A family
member who decides to take on the monumental task of caring for a loved one
should be supported and appreciated. This family member is giving up a part of
their life to care for a parent, not for rewards and adulation, but out of love
and compassion.
We all need time for ourselves,
and if you are the primary caregiver to an aging parent, time for yourself can
seem fleeting. That is why it is important to ask for help. It is crucial that
other family members supplement the care for an ageing parent to provide the
primary caregiver a break to manage their own responsibilities, so their life
is not completely on hold. If a caregiver does not take time for themselves
they soon can become overwhelmed by stress and isolation. It is important for a
caregiver to express their feelings to other family members so the proper amount
of support can be discussed and ultimately achieved.
Some commonly reported
health-related issues many full-time caregivers report are a lack of sleep,
poor eating habits and little to no exercise. The last thing we want is for the
caregiver to turn into a patient, so sometimes outside assistance is needed to
maintain the physical and emotional health of the primary caregiver.
In addition to receiving care-giving
help from family members, sometimes additional assistance is needed from an
outside paid caregiver. There are many quality professionals who can assist with
the care-giving process so the primary family caregiver can find some balance
between their own lives and their responsibilities as a caregiver.
Remember, taking care of an aging
parent or loved one should be a shared responsibility of the entire family.
Although one person may step-up and assume the majority of the care-giving
duties, other family members need to provide some relief at times and outside
assistance should be sought when needed. This will not only benefit the
caregiver, but also the patient.
InHome Care Advisors is a local Minnesota company
made up of caring senior healthcare professionals who believe everyone should
be ale to live safely in their own homes as long as possible. We put that
belief into action by carefully listening and assessing the needs, wants, and
desires of our clients; Visit our website or call 651-252-1669....we can help.
