Posted: 8/27/2014 2:55 PM by
Interim HealthCare
Being a caregiver to an aging parent or loved one can be a rewarding experience, but it can also take a toll because of the demands it can place on an individual. Not only is it physically and mentally challenging, but caregivers often get consumed by the responsibilities that come with providing care. When caregivers find that they are becoming lonely due to the amount of time they are devoting to their loved one’s needs, they should consider hiring home care services.
As a loved one needs more and more time, isolation becomes routine. The caregiver stops spending time with friends or other family members and eventually realizes that their social life is gone. The feeling of loneliness starts to overwhelm them.
Loneliness poses a great danger to a person’s overall well-being. When a person becomes void of close personal connections with others, it increases the risk of a premature death by 14 percent. Isolation and loneliness can easily lead to depression which then poses a danger to noe only the caregiver’s overall well-being but also the elder needing help.
Lonliness eventually starts to affect a person’s attitude towards the person needing care. They may even start to resent the elder or even worse, become neglectful. How can someone properly care for someone else if they don’t take time to care for themselves?
Hiring an in-home care provider can help alleviate loneliness by taking on caregiver responsibilities in order to free a caregiver up to resume some normal social activities. Home care services will be able to help with many of the basic daily needs. This could include light housekeeping, laundry, transportation, medication management, and meal preparation. Some services can include certain types of medical care.
Caregivers don’t have to feel alone in their quest to provide exceptional care for a loved one. Remaining social with friends and other family members is very important to preventing loneliness from creeping in and overtaking a person’s life. If caregivers feel that it is not feasible for them to get away and leave their loved ones alone, they should consider hiring an in-home care provider.
Home care services can come in and look after a loved one while the family caregiver takes some time to get a cup of coffee with a friend, go shopping, take a class, or do something they enjoy doing. It is important to remember that a good portion of a loved one’s health depends on the mental and physical state of the person providing care.
If you have an aging loved one and are considering home care services, contact Interim HealthCare today. G+
