For children, it can be extremely difficult to watch your parents get older and need your help. But at some point, most seniors require assistance for all kinds of tasks associated with daily life, from needing someone to take them grocery shopping to having someone help them get dressed in the morning. Caring for aging parents doesn’t have to rest entirely on the shoulders of the family. FirstLight Home Care can help you find a solution and offer the support you and your loved ones need.
The Difficulties of Helping Aging Parents
As your parents age, it can become very mentally, emotionally and physically exhausting, especially if you act as the primary caregiver for your parents. Time becomes sparse, and there never seems to be enough hours in the day to get all your work done, cook, clean and care for your parents, as well as have time for yourself. A lack of personal time is one of the top challenges faced by caregivers.
Burnout is prevalent for family caregivers, as they find this lack of time can lead to a lack of sleep and increased stress. This quickly takes its toll on the body, which needs every ounce of strength to help care for a family member.
As these caregivers dedicate all their time and energy to caring for others, they can lose a sense of self. They have less time for hobbies, time with their friends and other things they enjoy. Senior care is a difficult job for anyone, and even more so for children trying to help their parents while juggling every other aspect of life.
How to Care for an Aging Parent
The care needed will vary depending on your parents’ situation. Most aging adults need some kind of daily care, whether you live with them or check in on them regularly. As medical needs increase, you might need to help seniors take their medicine, refill prescriptions, do daily exercises and attend to appointments.
Many seniors also struggle with daily activities such as showering, cooking, dressing, using the bathroom and even walking. From providing meals for elderly parents to ensuring they maintain their hygiene, many seniors need constant care to maintain their quality of life.
It can become a full-time job for many who take care of aging parents, and one that most don’t have the time and capacity to tackle all by themselves. You shouldn’t have to do it all alone.
The Benefits of Companion Care
At FirstLight Home Care, we provide many different senior care services, such as companion care, veteran care, dementia care, respite care and more. Depending on your parents’ needs and the level of care they need, we can match you with a caregiver who will help relieve the stress of caring for aging parents.
Our compassionate, highly-trained caregivers can become a pillar of support for aging adults, providing companionship and support in what can be lonely years. Having someone around to help with transportation and communication also allows seniors to maintain a social life and keep connected with friends and family.
Many of our caregivers will also help with basic household tasks, such as laundry or cooking, to ensure that your parent lives in a clean and healthy environment. Maintaining a house is hard enough, even when you don’t have an aging parent to care for.
Our caregivers can also help with toileting care, hygiene and mobility assistance. Maintaining proper physical strength and health becomes pivotal for our seniors, and many of our caregivers can also offer medical assistance and knowledge to maintain top health.
Having someone else step in and help also relieves the stress you may feel about your relationship with your parents. With more time and energy, you’ll be in a better place emotionally and mentally and able to spend time with your parents, strengthening your relationship.
If you’re acting as a caregiver for your family, contact us at FirstLight Home Care. We offer compassionate home care for those who need assistance caring for aging parents. Find your nearest location to learn more.