Relying on Neighbors for the Senior Who Needs Care
Rockford, MI – Relying on Neighbors for the Senior Who Needs Care
When George was looking after his wife, who was 76 at the time, he felt a bit overwhelmed. For most of their marriage his wife cooked the meals and took care of him while he was out working. Even after he retired this was a 
pattern they had held onto until she suffered a stroke.
George didn’t have a lot of family who lived in the area and felt completely alone and overwhelmed. As a senior, providing care for his wife was placing increased stress and anxiety on his body as well as his emotional state of mind.
For the first couple of months after his wife returned home from the hospital (in the nursing home), he had done a considerable amount of work to retrofit the house in order to accommodate her condition. There were numerous days, though, when he found himself struggling to assist her getting out of bed, walking down the hall, or even going to the bathroom.
George felt it was his responsibility to take care of these things and, being close to many of his neighbors, he found a great deal of help and support for quite some time. However, like most things, that assistance began to dwindle and fade out as the weeks turned into months.
George didn’t blame them for no longer being available to help out; he understood completely. Yet that didn’t change the fact that he was struggling to figure out what to do. Finally, one of his neighbors behind his house suggested he consider senior home services. He didn’t know the first thing about hiring a caregiver, and honestly didn’t believe this is something he could afford.
This neighbor sat down to talk to him about many of the benefits that an experienced caregiver could provide for him and his wife. This neighbor had direct experience because she had to hire somebody to care for her mother who lived a few hundred miles away from her.
“It was the toughest decision we made,” she said. “We didn’t know the first thing about senior care, either. Yet when we contacted the agency, they completely understood the challenges we are facing and what we needed for my mother.”
George took her advice and contacted an agency in the area. His neighbors continued to help out when they could, but relying on an experienced professional made it so that he didn’t have to call on them for help, but rather to just say thank you.
If you or someone you know needs help with senior care services in Rockford, 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.
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