When to Hire Senior Care Services
October 27, 2019
For many family caregivers of elderly people living at home, the decision about when to hire senior care services can prompt many questions, such as whether their loved one really needs outside care, what the benefits are, and how their senior parent or loved one will respond to the idea.
Every senior and family dynamic is unique, but there are some signs that might help you to realize that not only is the time right for hiring the help of senior care aides, but that it can do so much more for you than you even realized.
If any of these signs sound familiar, or you find yourself nodding in agreement or feeling relieved to know that you aren’t alone in this, senior care might be a great way for you to not only get the assistance that you and your senior deserve, but allow them to remain living independently at home for as long as possible.
Signs that it might be time to hire senior care services for your loved one:
Your sleeping habits have changed. If you find that you are spending long hours with your senior and that in order to take care of your own household as well as the needs of your parent that your sleep is being affected, you may need to consider hiring outside help.
Stress. If you are feeling overwhelmed and stressed and you feel like the responsibilities of caring for the daily needs of your senior parent are starting to take a toll on your mental health, now might be a good time to call for help. Your health is just as important as that of your senior so don’t wait if you are feeling like it’s becoming too much to handle alone.
You are arguing with your senior. If you and your senior parent seem to be constantly fighting or butting heads, you might have better results by hiring a neutral third party caregiver to come in and help. Sometimes the role reversal that seems to happen as parents age can be tough for them to handle with an adult child and having a non-relative can make accepting help a little easier for them.
Your own family is suffering. If you start noticing that your spouse, children, or career are suffering because of the amount of time and energy that you are pouring into your senior parent’s needs, this is often a very telling sign that it is time to bring in a senior care aide for assistance. If you are missing out on activities that are important to your family, or finding that you are too burnt out when you are there to actually enjoy or be present at that time, consider how a caregiver can allow you to be more focused and give you more time for your other responsibilities and joys.
Self-care is not a priority. Are you putting so much of your energy into helping your senior parent that your own self-care or grooming is falling by the wayside? Are the things that you used to do to soothe yourself and relax from a stressful day getting pushed aside? Do you find that your appearance or hobbies or things that were always a part of your normal routine are no longer of importance to you? Senior care services can help you get back your life and may be something you should work on as soon as possible so that you can be the best version of yourself and continue to be there for your parent.
If you or your loved one is looking for Senior Care Palo Alto, CA, please call Familiar Surroundings Home Care.
Santa Clara County:(408) 979-9990
San Mateo County:(650) 353-9777
Santa Cruz County:(831) 480-3990