Are You Caring for a Difficult Senior?
Many caregivers find themselves taking care of an extremely demanding family member. You might worry that you’re stuck in this situation no matter what, so it’s important to look at why you’re there and what else you might be able to do in order to get your elder the help she needs.
Elder Care Springfield PA – Are You Caring for a Difficult Senior?
Family Obligations Are Strong
Some people fall into being a caregiver because they may feel compelled to do so. No matter what the family relationship is between your aging adult and yourself, those obligations can be extremely powerful. Even if the situation is far from ideal for you, giving up or turning over caregiving duties completely to someone else may just feel wrong.
Happy Memories from Years Ago
Many ailments such as dementia can rob your senior of who they used to be. In fact, sometimes you might feel as if the person that you take care of every day bears no relationship whatsoever to the person in your memories. But you stay because of those very memories. The problem with this is that you might be overlooking some solutions that can make caregiving easier for you.
Guilt Because Others Aren’t Stepping Up
There are some larger families in which no one seems to step up and handle much of anything for your aging adult. And on the more difficult days with your elderly family member, you may understand exactly why that is. But if you’re only there because you will feel guilty if you don’t help, you might want to see what other options are available to you and to your elder.
Take Care of Yourself During this Process
It’s vital that you’re taking care of yourself no matter what else is going on with your senior and with the overall caregiving situation. If you need time to think, considerelde hiring elder care providers to take over periodically to give yourself breathing room. Evaluating your reasons for being your senior’s caregiver can be an empowering way to help her to get the care that she truly needs, even if that’s not necessarily with you as her primary caregiver.
If you’ve been neglecting yourself while taking care of a demanding loved one, it’s not too late for you to turn that around. Start making small decisions now that allow you to continue caregiving but that also give you the space that you need to be happy and healthy.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Elder Care Services in Springfield PA, please contact the caring staff at True Direct Home Health Care today.
Doc, as he is called by everyone - staff, patients and clients - first experienced home health care and hospice care while as a colleg student at King's College as he cared for his mother every day while she first battled COPD and then lung cancer. It was during this time that he came to understand that caring for a patient was more than just clinical expertise.
"Admittedly, my strongest attribute is my communication skills and the simple fact that I love to help people. Even the smallest thing you can do for someone really can mean so much to them long term. In fact, it could change them forever. That's what providing quality personal home health care should be all about."
In his spare time, he cooks for homeless shelters and children's music and arts events. He also is highly involved in his local youth sports soccer academy as a coach and Board member.
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