Do You Have Mental or Emotional Limitations to Being a Family Caregiver?

By Julie McCormick, Co-Owner | July 17, 2018 | Comments Off on Do You Have Mental or Emotional Limitations to Being a Family Caregiver?

When you are considering stepping into the role of being a family caregiver for your aging parent, it is extremely important for you to take the time to evaluate all aspects of this role, and ensure you are truly prepared for it.

 

Home Health Care in Winchester City VA: Family Caregiver Mental Health

Home Health Care in Winchester City VA: Family Caregiver Mental Health

 

Starting this type of responsibility without proper preparation can result in stress, burnout, negative impacts on your relationship with your parent, and even detriment to your care efforts for your parent.
While you might immediately think of things such as your schedule or your physical strength and health when determining if you are prepared to become a family caregiver, and have the ability to fulfill this role effectively, you should not overlook the mental and emotional elements as well.


Mental and emotional limitations can make it more difficult for you to connect to your caregiver role, dedicate yourself to your senior’s needs, and maintain a quality of life beyond your care efforts.
Recognizing such limitations, however, can enable you to take proper steps to prepare yourself, a care team, your family, and others for this role so it can be as effective and beneficial as possible.

 

Some of the mental and emotional limitations you may need to consider before becoming a family caregiver include:

 

    • Tension within your relationship with your senior that may result in you being uncomfortable being around them, or resistant to dedicating your time and effort to their care.
    • Bitterness or resentment toward your siblings, particularly if they are not willing to participate in care, or have refused to offer any type of help.
    • Sadness at facing your parent’s mortality, and inability to separate the relationship of caring for them from the difficulty of facing this reality.
    • Discomfort with helping a person who is sick or impaired, particularly if your aging parent is living with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of cognitive functioning decline.
    • Excessive amounts of stress in your current life

 

The stress and emotional challenges that can come along with being a family caregiver for an elderly adult can be very difficult.
These can not only have a negative impact on the quality of care you give your parent but also on your physical and mental health and well-being as well. The care given to your parent by a home care provider can help you handle these challenges in effective and meaningful ways.

 

Simply knowing your parent has continuous access to high-quality, customized care can ease your stress and help you to feel more confident. This also enables you to delegate care tasks you may find too difficult, or too sensitive, such as bathing or dressing, to the care provider, so you do not have to worry about handling them. This support ensures your parent always has the care and support they need, and that you can protect your own mental and emotional health as they age in place.

 

If you or an aging loved-one are considering Home Health Care in Winchester City, VA, please contact the caring staff at LivinRite Home Care. Call Us Today at (703) 634-9991.

Julie McCormick, Co-Owner
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Posted in Caregiver Health, Elder Care in Winchester City VA, Family Caregiver Mental Health, Senior Care in Winchester City VA and tagged , , , ,