You haven’t slept through the night in weeks.
You struggle with frequent headaches and an upset stomach.
You never finish your to do list by the end of each day.
You can’t seem to shake your latest cold.
You can’t remember the last time you had lunch with friends.
You find yourself more irritable and annoyed than ever.
If these situations describe you perfectly, you may be dealing with the symptoms of chronic stress. Family caregivers juggle a lot of responsibilities, both physically and emotionally. Often, they put everyone else’s needs ahead of their own, which can lead to frustration and stress. When a person has too much stress, it can start to affect their health and wellness in a negative way. Hiring a homecare provider is one of the best ways that family caregivers can achieve the balance they need to succeed.
Elderly adults can lose their independence in any number of ways. Many struggle with sicknesses or diseases that limit them physically. From arthritis to strokes and everything in between, seniors are most at risk for physically debilitating diseases. Some aging adults are coping physically but may have cognitive challenges they are dealing with in the form of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. In these cases, seniors cannot be left alone. Family caregivers that step in and provide care are doing a wonderful thing by taking care of their relative’s daily needs.
When aging loved ones need help, family caregivers often underestimate what kind of services they actually need. They mistakenly believe that they can take care of their relative before and after work only, or just check in a few times per week. In fact, many seniors need help every single day to make sure they are healthy and safe.
Some of the most common duties that elderly relatives need help with include showering and bathing. Other tasks include dressing, toileting, grooming and housekeeping. Many seniors can do a few things around the house, but family caregivers are usually responsible for housekeeping, pet care, meal prep and laundry, too. Some seniors also need help with finances, transportation and simple companionship to prevent loneliness. It’s easy to see how caring for an aging relative can quickly take up a caregiver’s day.
When families hire a homecare provider, many of these time-consuming but necessary duties are done by a trained professional. Seniors can schedule when they want the homecare provider to come to assist. Whenever the family caregiver cannot be there, they can have a homecare provider. This way, family caregivers can have the time they need to attend to other family members, their job and more without neglecting their aging loved one.
Finding balance is the key to avoiding caregiver burnout. No other solution is as effective as hiring a homecare provider to help with an elderly relative. Family caregivers will certainly have peace of mind when they know their aging loved one is being cared for by true professionals from a home care provider.
Source: https://www.webmd.com/women/caregiver-recognizing-burnout
