Blogs

Introducing In-home Care for Your Loved Ones

By Jay Shelvin posted 10-31-2019 12:05 AM

  

As much as you’d like to, you cannot always provide for the care your loved ones need. You can’t afford to quit your job because you have a family member who is ill, injured, or disabled. So, what will you do?

 

Burning the candle at both ends, trying to keep your job and do everything a caregiver would is impossible. You might manage at first, but sooner or later, something must give. You’ll either make a mistake at work or home. An error like this, made through sheer exhaustion, can have lasting consequences.

 

If you’re facing such a challenge, consider introducing in-home care for your loved ones. Remember that care for yourself while caring for a loved one. Here are some guidelines:

 

Introduce the concept slowly

 

The person you’re getting in-home care for might not be very enthusiastic about the idea. For them, it can feel undignified to have a stranger help them do things they used to be able to do on their own. It can even be depressing.

 

Springing it on them is the worst possible way to handle the situation. It’s a better idea to raise the subject gently. Listen to what the person has to say about it. Some of their fears are very real and not unfounded. Trying to sweep them under the carpet can be a breach of trust between yourself and your loved one. Instead, make them part of the decision-making process.

 

Once you’ve broached the idea, start a discussion about what kind of help is needed. How frequently is assistance required? These are important factors that can help you when you decide on a caregiver.

 

Do your homework

 

Once you’ve decided that you want to utilize home care services, it’s time to take the bull by the horns. Don’t accept someone who is a friend of a friend or who someone tells you about at the local grocery store.

 

This is not a pile of paper you’re entrusting to their care; it’s a person you care about deeply. You need to use a professional to get the services you need.

 

Use a company like Tandem Careplanning to help you find the right person for the job. This saves you the time and energy of advertising and interviewing candidates. These organizations know what types of people they’re looking for, what qualifications they need, and they can secure references from previous employers. Getting help with this momentous decision takes a lot of the stress out of the situation.

 

Look at the bright side

 

When you’re speaking to your loved one and other family members about in-home caregiving, accentuate the positive. There are many advantages to hiring someone to help with caregiving.

 

It gives everyone more time to spend with each other on things other than immediate care. Don’t count the few hours you have to spare on things like helping a parent bathe. You can pass the time in conversation, looking at photo albums, or playing games. This will create good memories for you both to hold onto.

 

Keep the lines of communication open

 

You need honest and open lines of communication with your loved one and their caregiver. This is a vital part of making in-home care work for everyone involved. A failure to communicate can lead to resentment and unhappiness all around. This places an unnecessary strain on the parties to the arrangement.

 

Be especially aware of any complaints your loved one expresses. Make sure that you investigate them to make sure your loved one is well-cared for. Don’t get overly concerned by petty complaints. They’re usually your loved one’s way of telling you that they’d prefer you to be the one caring for them.

0 comments
1 view

Permalink