Families are woven together with love, belonging, and a sense of responsibility.
We care for our children, we care for one another, and as time goes on, many of us take care of our parents. It’s natural to feel that care of our moms and dads should fall to the adult children in the family, but the reality is far more complicated. How does caring for a senior fit into your life, or the lives of your siblings? Do you have any experience with caregiving, or senior healthcare? Do you have time, and are you physically capable? Who should do what, and how can you balance the care among siblings who may lead very different lives, or live in different cities?
Caring for our parents as they get older, and as their health possibly declines, can be unpredictable at best. Families are no longer staying in the same neighbourhoods and cities, and instead they may live hundreds or thousands of miles away. Many adult children have careers, and often families of their own, barely keeping up with what they already need to do. While many are willing to try to help out, and end up taking on more than they can handle, few have any practical experience in the realities of caregiving. Training and experience ensure that routines are followed, safety measures are always followed, and changes in condition or health communicated efficiently.
How Private Homecare can Help
When families reach out to learn more about private home care, they are often surprised at how much choice they have in what kind of care their mom or dad could receive. Perhaps your mom needs someone to drop by a few times a week to help with bathing and laundry, and to help monitor for any changes in health or well-being. Maybe your dad is taking a new medication for a chronic condition, and you’d feel safer knowing someone was with him overnight. Perhaps your parents still live at home together, but you’re worried about them getting back and forth to medical and other important appointments. Did you know homecare can include any or all of these services, and more? It’s worth booking an appointment to learn more and to discuss how it might work for your family.
What if you could visit your senior mom or dad on weekends, and simply enjoy the time with them? This is the time to enjoy their company and share your lives with them. These are nearly impossible to manage if all your visits consist of doing laundry, cleaning, and trying to assist with personal care or guess what else they might need. When it comes to homecare, finding out early what your options are and discussing them ahead of time is important. A reliable caregiver dropping by twice a week now could make all the difference to you both, and as your mom or dad ages, can also then gradually offer more assistance. In many cases, getting everyone used to accepting support early on improves quality of life for you all, and can result in a senior staying safely at home much longer than if they tried to do so on their own.
Care for the Family Caregiver
If you are offering support to your parents, remember to take care of yourself. You cannot do it all, and trying to do so usually results in burnout or illness. Look after your own physical, mental, and emotional health. Make and keep your own medical appointments, and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Get plenty of rest, and ensure you have supports in place for when you need resources or help. Make a list of where you need help – sometimes simply putting it all on paper can help you, and other family members, see just how much time and energy caregiving can take. Create a family schedule that works for everyone, and divide up responsibilities in a way that works for all. Even those willing to step in to help in some ways will need breaks, so look into respite home care at the very least to ensure you get time off to rest, be with your family, and stay healthy. The goal is to ensure you can continue to do the excellent work you have always done with your loved ones.
When caring for your senior mom or dad becomes too difficult to juggle, our caregivers can help reduce your worries and your workload. If you have questions or feedback for us on what you just read, please don’t hesitate to contact us, we’d love to chat with you.
~ Senior Homecare by Angels Calgary team
We provide private in-home care services to all Albertan’s over the age of 18, with a wide range of services to help the elderly, persons with disabilities and adults in rehabilitation receive the care they need to remain in their home, and maintain the independence of their daily routines. Our in-home care services including Hourly care, live-in, 24 hour, respite care for family caregivers, post hospital recovery, and much more to individuals wishing to preserve their independence and continue living at home.
We provide services where and when you need them, including private residences, nursing homes, hospitals, assisted living facilities,etc