Taking on the role of family caregiver can enhance your bond with your senior loved one, but it can also lead to many sacrifices. Caregivers generally readjust their daily schedules based on their loved ones’ needs. Below are some of the most common sacrifices family caregivers make and ways you can manage each situation.
1. Less Socialization
Maintaining close friendships is vital to your health. Your relationships allow you to participate in activities and outings based on your preferences and not your loved one’s needs. Sacrificing your social life can increase the odds of isolation and depression. Therefore, you must take time off each week, whether it’s going to lunch with coworkers, seeing a movie with your spouse, or taking a mini-vacation with friends.
2. Sleep Deprivation
Getting a full night of rest is difficult for caregivers, particularly those who must provide 24-hour care or nighttime assistance. Lack of sleep is a sacrifice that can harm your physical, mental, and emotional health, which is why you should develop a manageable bedtime routine for your parent. This could enhance your loved one’s sleeping habits and allow you to get plenty of rest during the night. It’s also a good idea to hire a caregiver for a couple of days per week.
Family caregivers need to care for their own wellbeing. If you’re caring for an aging loved one and are feeling overwhelmed, consider hiring a professional caregiver to provide respite care. Clearwater families who want to prevent burnout can turn to Home Care Assistance. One of our professional caregivers can assist your loved one at home while you take a nap, go to work, run errands, or go on vacation.
3. Postponed Goals
Postponing your goals could increase the risk of resentment, anger, and sadness. When it comes to working on your dreams, set small goals and celebrate your successes. For example, if you want to write a book, set aside a few hours each week to work solely on your literature project. Each time you develop characters, write a chapter, or complete editing for one section, congratulate yourself before moving on to the next step.
4. Lack of Exercise
Maintaining an exercise routine is often difficult for caregivers, especially those who work full-time and take care of school-age children. Staying physically active is vital to your health, which is why you must develop an exercise routine that’s manageable and beneficial to your physical and mental wellbeing. An excellent way to stay active is by scheduling your activities at the same time as your parent’s workout routine.
5. Missing Key Events
Caregivers should make time to attend their kids’ extracurricular activities, community events, and more. However, attending these functions can be challenging when balancing your loved one’s doctor appointments, running errands, and performing daily tasks like housekeeping, medication management, and meal prep. Missing key events can strain your relationships with others, but by explaining the situation to your children, spouse, and friends, you can ease the tension. Ask your siblings to step up so you can take time off to attend these events. Another option is hiring a respite caregiver while you’re away.
If you’re the primary family caregiver for an elderly loved one and need additional assistance providing high-quality at-home care, Home Care Assistance can help. We are a leading home care agency committed to changing the way seniors age.
6. Financial Strain
Many seniors experience reduced income, especially those who have lost spouses. However, personal expenses don’t disappear and often put a financial strain on family caregivers. To handle this issue, research federal, state, and local resources for seniors that can reduce your loved one’s monthly expenses, such as utility grants and free or discounted meals, health insurance, and medications.
Seniors can face a variety of age-related challenges. Though some families choose to take on the caregiving duties, there may come a time when they need a trusted Clearwater in-home care provider. Families sometimes need respite from their duties so they can focus on their other responsibilities, and some seniors need around-the-clock assistance that their families are not able to provide. Home Care Assistance is here to help. To schedule a free in-home consultation, give us a call at (727) 330-7862 today.