Professional Elder Care Supports Family Caregivers

 If you provide care for a loved one living with age-related challenges or disabilities, you’re not alone. According to the National Alliance for Caregiving & AARP, around 44 million Americans act as family caregivers.

While such a considerable portion of the population is involved in providing unpaid assistance for those they love, these individuals rarely have the support they require to maintain their health and well-being. That’s why it’s crucial for family caregivers to have access to reliable, high-quality elder care services they can reach out to for assistance.

Many people view elder care as being primarily beneficial for older adults who need support with necessary activities of daily living. However, professional care providers also work to promote family caregivers’ well-being by giving them respite from their duties, relief from worry, and time to focus on their own self-care.

At Visiting Angels Newton/Canton, we’re proud to offer in-home care services that support elderly adults and any family members or close friends who are involved in their care.

The Emotional, Physical, and Mental Demands of Being a Caregiver

Caring for a loved one can be demanding on many levels. For example, if your loved one requires support with getting out of bed, bathing, or general mobility, you may feel physically exhausted. Rather than using free time to cook yourself a healthy meal, get some exercise, or socialize with friends, you may find you no longer have the energy to do the kinds of activities that once brought you joy.

Caregiving is also mentally exhausting, which is especially challenging for those helping a loved one who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or a memory disorder. Family caregivers are responsible for ensuring they’re loved one is keeping up with their medication schedules and attending the appropriate doctors’ appointments or therapies. It’s also up to you to keep your loved one mentally stimulated and engaged in conversation. Having to be “on” all the time can leave you feeling burned out.

Finally, family caregivers must also deal with a range of emotions that often arise when assisting a loved one with age-related challenges. Although you may wish you could focus on making memories and spending precious time with your loved one, it’s almost impossible to maintain the relationship you once had while also managing their care needs.

It is easy to become frustrated or angry when your loved one refuses care or pushes back on your caregiving style. After all, they may not be prepared for this kind of role reversal. It can also be heart-wrenching to see them struggle with daily living activities that once came naturally to them.

How Senior Home Care Services Help Family Caregivers

In-home elder care can make the responsibility of caring for a loved one so much more manageable. It’s totally up to you which tasks you want the home caregiver to handle and how often you want them to visit. You can choose to continue meeting some of your loved one’s age-related needs or concentrate on being the caring son, daughter, or grandchild you’ve always been.

From transportation to doctors’ appointments to medication reminders, mobility assistance, and dignified support with personal care, our team at Visiting Angels Newton/Canton can offer the assistance required to help older adults age in place. This means we can easily step in to deliver care while you’re on an extended vacation, or we can take over the management of your loved one’s care requirements completely.

You can also have a professional care provider visit for a few hours each week to give you a much-needed break from your duties. Doing so will give you the gratification of participating in your loved one’s care while ensuring you can maintain a balanced lifestyle. Visits can be scheduled around your work and social life, and you can build a flexible plan of care based on both your needs and the needs of your loved one.

When to Seek Professional Assistance

It’s never too early to get started with a professional care provider. Even if you feel your loved one’s needs are manageable for the moment, they could change significantly without warning. Helping your loved one become familiar with their caregiver and establishing a regular schedule will make the transition to professional in-home support manageable and more comfortable for everyone.

Still unsure of whether it’s time to get started with professional elder care? Here are some signs of stress that could indicate your responsibilities are having a negative impact on your health and well-being:

• Feeling overwhelmed
• Constant worry or anxiety
• Often feeling overtired or exhausted
• Inability to adopt a regular sleep schedule
• Significant weight changes
• Frequent headaches or body aches
• Loss of interest in activities you used to enjoy

If you’re interested in more information about how in-home care can help your senior loved ones, contact us today.

Providing Safe, High-Quality Care the Elderly Deserve

The healthy and safety of our clients and caregivers are our priority. Visiting Angels Newton/Canton follows and adheres to the latest health and safety guidelines issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Despite the challenges associated with COVID-19, in-home caregivers fulfill Visiting Angels’ mission of partnering with families to provide essential at home living assistance for older adults.

Visiting Angels’ in-home caregivers continue to be homecare heroes on the frontlines, taking necessary steps to protect elderly loved ones and themselves, following regulations to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

About Visiting Angels Newton/Canton

Visiting Angels Newton/Canton is an award-winning local home care agency providing high caliber in-home care services to the elderly and people with disabilities. Countless families have benefited from our in-home dementia care, Alzheimer’s care, respite care, live-in and 24-hour care, companion care, transitional aid, and in-home care services in Brookline and Boston area neighborhoods, including Canton, Dedham, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Natick, Needham, Newton, Norwood, Roslindale, Stoughton, Upper Back Bay, Watertown, Wellesley, West Roxbury, Westwood, and neighboring communities.