Whether it’s worrying about their aging relative’s physical health or stressing about preparing healthy meals, family caregivers have a lot on their mind. Mixing in other daily duties, such as keeping the aging adult’s house clean and getting them to all their doctor’s appointments, is enough to turn any compassionate family caregiver into an overstressed person. The real dangers of being overstressed means that family caregivers must look for a solution to their problem.
Why Do Family Caregivers Need Help?
Caring for an elderly adult can take a lot of time and effort. From getting seniors up and ready each morning to planning and preparing meals, cleaning the house and more, family caregivers often have a lot to do that interferes with their other responsibilities, like a job or their own children. As they spread themselves thinner, their physical and mental health starts to suffer.
How can a family caregiver’s health suffer due to stress? When the body is stressed, it releases hormones that help prepare it for dealing with the stressor. If there is no respite, the body is in this constant state of stress, and it can wear out over time. Common negative health effects of chronic stress include high blood pressure, headaches, digestive problems, substance abuse, heart disease and depression. More than ever, family caregivers need assistance in caring for their aging loved ones, so they have regular breaks from the responsibility.
Home Care Providers Can Help Family Caregivers
Many family caregivers don’t feel comfortable asking for help, and therefore never build up a support group of other family members, community services, friends, clergy and more. Without a support group, they are rarely able to take breaks throughout the week, shouldering the responsibilities of care on their own. Home care providers are professionals that can be hired to come in and help aging adults with all kinds of daily tasks so that family caregivers can get away for awhile.
Because home care providers can be scheduled at any time of day or night, family caregivers have a lot of flexibility. Perhaps they work a job and need someone to stay with their aging loved one during the day. Or, they want to go to the gym and run errands every other afternoon, but don’t want to leave their elderly relative on their own. With a home care provider, family caregivers have a trusted resource who is experienced, competent and reliable. Just having access to this regular respite care can alleviate a lot of stress every week.
To avoid becoming overstressed, family caregivers need to practice some self-care. This includes regular exercise, healthy eating, and plenty of social activities. Quiet time such as reading a book, napping, taking a walk or something similar can also be very restorative. Respite care from a home care provider can offer a family caregiver the time they need to recharge and take care of themselves, too. Caring for an aging relative is hard, but with the right support, family caregivers can manage it successfully without sacrificing their own health.
If you or an aging loved one are considering caregivers in The Heights, TX, please call the caring staff at At Your Side Home Care. We will answer all of your senior care questions. Call today: (832) 271-1600.
Our Certified Nurse Aides, 24-Hour Live-in Assistants and Home Health Aides are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We also provide the security and confidence of 24-hour Telephone Assistance, so fast, reliable help is always available when it's needed. To learn more about our homecare services see our homecare services page.
Different people need different levels of homecare. To meet the requirements of our clients, At Your Side Homecare maintains consistent staffing levels of caring professionals. Homecare service is available for as little as a few hours a week, or as many as 24 hours a day, seven days a week
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