It’s no surprise that many people want to do all that they can for an aging parent or relative. But life sometimes gets in the way. From work, to family, to the difficulties that aging brings about, its rare that you can do it all on your own. When that happens, you may need at-home assistance from a senior care professional. When Is At-Home Senior Care Necessary?
At Visiting Angels, our caregivers provide high-quality at-home senior care to families in need, so we know what kinds of situations make senior care necessary. We’ve helped countless families navigate the decision around senior care, and we can do the same for you.
Are you concerned that a parent or relative may need at-home senior care? If so, the following signs may let you know whether or not you and your loved one can benefit from professional care:
You Find Yourself Overwhelmed
Does caring for your parent or relative eat up most of your free time? Do you regularly find yourself tired, overworked, or exhausted from the burden of caregiving? Are you finding it hard to make time for work, family, or relationships due to the time you spend caring for your loved one?
If so, at-home senior care may be exactly what you need. Professional caregivers provide much needed respite for overwhelmed family members charged with the care of a loved one. One option you may wish to explore is part-time care, which will allow you to manage the amount of time, effort, and energy you spend caring for your parent or relative.
Your Loved One Is Starting to Struggle
Often, the need for at-home senior care stems from challenges and difficulties related to advanced aging. Generally, these challenges fall into one of three categories: physical, mental, or emotional.
- Physical Challenges. As your loved one ages, they may begin to struggle with movement, balance, everyday tasks, or bodily functions. These kinds of challenges can be tough to deal with. Sometimes you may feel physically overmatched. Other times, your loved one may be embarrassed to ask for your help and would prefer the help offered by a non-family member.
- Mental Challenges. Problems with memory can occur naturally with aging, making it difficult to leave a loved one unattended. Even bigger challenges are posed by memory disorders like dementia or Alzheimer’s, which can be tough to handle without the help of a professional and are often particularly taxing on family members.
- Emotional Challenges. Aging can sometimes trigger feelings of depression or loneliness. Blue feelings can be brought about or made worse by the death of friends or the loss of a spouse. If you find that your loved one is struggling with mood or emotional issues, you may find that a service such as companion care can help.
You Worry About Leaving Them on Their Own
You can’t be in two places at once, so it can be tough to make sure someone’s there to look after your loved one. If you find that you worry about leaving your loved one at home alone, then at-home senior can help. A care provider will be able to watch over your parent or relative throughout the day, ensuring someone is always there in case anything happens.
Distance Is Getting in the Way
In today’s world, many of us live miles and miles away from our loved ones. While phone calls and emails can keep you connected, they’re not enough when your loved one starts to struggle with day-to-day living. In this case, you may wish to explore long distance at-home senior care. Long distance care programs help families look after and regularly check-in on aging loved ones – all without the need for a red-eye flight or several hours on the highway.
If you find yourself in need of at-home senior care, contact your local Visiting Angels office. Our at-home senior care providers help the elderly and their families make aging at home easier.
Visiting Angels
YouTube.com/user/VisitingAngels1
https://www.facebook.com/VisitingAngelsCorporate
