Tips for New Caregivers
Caregiver in Grand Rapids MI
When you have aging parents, you may find that taking on the role of caregiver can happen suddenly or unexpectedly. When parents have an illness, injury, or medical procedure, their life can
change dramatically and they may need more help and care. When it is up to you to become the caregiver, you probably will have many questions and concerns right away and may even feel overwhelmed. Feeling overwhelmed and anxious during this time of change is normal, but it is important to remember that caregiving can be rewarding and happy experience despite the added pressure you may feel. While the transition to caregiving may never be an easy one, there are a few things you can do to make it go more smoothly. Here are just a few examples:
Discuss a Family Plan
While it is a great idea to discuss caregiving with your family before your aging parents need it, this situation often doesn’t play out. When you do realize that your aging parent needs care, it is important to talk with them and other family members as soon as possible about a plan. Does your parent prefer to live at home? Will your siblings be willing to help with care? How much? These and more are all questions you need answers to as you begin your caregiving journey.
Get Support
When you are new to caregiving, it is normal to feel alone, confused, and even scared. To help keep these feelings at bay and replace them with more positive emotions, it is important to have support as a caregiver from other caregivers and those who understand what caregiving entails. Joining a support group at a local hospital or community center for caregivers can be very helpful and enlightening. Or, if you have a friend or someone you know who is also a caregiver, maybe find some time to catch up with that person by having lunch or coffee. Even if you haven’t talked to them in a long time, this is a great reason to rekindle the friendship.
Consider Home Care
When you look realistically at your life situation with the responsibilities of caregiving added in, do you think you will be able to manage all of your tasks or do you see yourself easily becoming overwhelmed? When you have children of your own, a job, and/or a marriage, you may feel as though there are not enough hours in a day to do all you need to do as a caregiver, as well. For this reason, it is a great idea to contact a local home care agency to find out how they can help. Perhaps a home care aide can help take some of the pressure off of you by helping with certain tasks such as meal preparation, bathing, or helping with errands.
If you or someone you know needs help with caregiver services in Grand Rapids, MI, contact Gauthier Family Home Care. We provide quality and affordable home care services in our community. Call us at (616) 258-2300 for more information.
Source: http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/guide/caregiving-getting-started
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