Being a family caregiver gives you the unique opportunity to spend extra quality time with your aging loved one, give back to them for the care and love they gave you, and ensure that they have the quality of life they deserve as they age in place.
Homecare in Vaughan: Caregiver Support System
Despite these meaningful benefits, this role can also be stressful and even overwhelming at times. Building a caregiver support system is a critical step toward taking care of your own health and well-being, and ensuring you continue to be the highest quality caregiver possible for your senior.
Use these tips to build a caregiver support system:
-Start with help. Taking some of the burdens off of yourself is a valuable first step toward getting the support you need. Starting home care, reaching out to friends, and relying on family distributes care requirements and lets you more accurately evaluate yourself and your efforts.
-Look to your partner for consistent support. Rather than seeing them as someone to vent to, take emotions out on, or depend on to handle life needs outside of your parent’s care, see them as your strongest source of love and support. Let them be there for you and show you affection and care.
-Don’t ignore your friendships during your care journey. Many family caregivers lose their friendships because they ignore or overlook them while caring for their parents. Make spending time with your friends a priority and resist the urge to turn them into your support group. Make the time with them fun, relaxing, and a chance to take your mind off the challenges of your care relationship.
-Look to your house of worship. Spiritual leaders or prayer groups can be a valuable source of comfort and support when you are going through a difficult time. They may also offer a source of help with your parent’s care needs.
-Be open to the type of support people have to offer you. Even if it seems small, these efforts can add up. If several people are willing to contribute with things such as helping with a carpool for your children, preparing meals for your senior, or sitting with them while you handle other tasks, your schedule will be much less stressful.
-Consider counseling. Just having someone to talk to about what you are feeling and going through can be extremely helpful. This is a safe place for you to express your emotions and release tension and can be a source of advice and encouragement that can help you through difficult times.
Home care is not just about the benefits it can offer your aging parent.
This type of personalized care can be invaluable to you as a family caregiver as well. The care of an in-home senior care services provider is completely customizable, which means you can rely on this provider for exactly what you need to give your parent their best life.
They can be with your loved one on the most effective schedule, whether that is every day or just a few hours a week, and provide a full range of services tailored just to them. While this offers them the benefit of fulfilling their needs and managing their challenges, it gives you benefits as well. Knowing your parent has this care can free up your time, reduce your stress, and enable you to confidently focus on all aspects of your life, from your relationship with your parent to your own needs.
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