Increasingly more family caretakers are making this noble choice on a daily basis, signifying the start of lifestyle changes they can only fully comprehend once immersed in them. Even though the positive aspects of serving as a caregiver for an adult family member are immeasurable, they’re not without a variety of challenges as well.
It might seem second-nature to manage day-to-day activities for a loved one; yet it is not as easy as it seems initially. For example, assisting a loved one in the shower or bath the wrong way can lead to a fall. Incorrect incontinence care can bring about skin damage and infection. Noncompliance with a recommended nutritional plan can result in a variety of health problems.
It is no wonder that in a newly released report shared by AARP, “Home Alone Revisited,” countless family caregivers reported stress and anxiety over the prospect of making a miscalculation in the care they provide. The findings spotlight answers from research sent to over 2,000 family caregivers, who revealed that even though they understood their caregiving was allowing their loved ones to remain in the home over a move to an assisted living or nursing home setting, they conveyed worry over their competence to perform the tasks required.
Respondents in the study identified that probably the most emotionally stressful component of caregiving is incontinence care. And, almost ¾ of family caregivers surveyed are routinely carrying out medical tasks connected to pain management – responsibilities that they wished they had been given better training and assistance on from the senior’s health care team.
Heather Young, dean emerita at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at the University of California, Davis (and co-author of this report) points out that, “Too often (family caregivers) are unprepared and do not get the support they need to assume these important roles.”
Asking for guidance and training in unfamiliar tasks is crucial for family caregivers. Families who partner with an established in-home care provider, such as the Hinsdale home care team at Independence-4-Seniors Home Care, can help to eliminate the trepidation and anxiety in managing care in the home effectively. Our caregivers are professionally trained in the countless complexities of aging care, and will provide family members with valuable assistance and education. We also offer safe, reliable respite care services that enable family caregivers to step back from their care responsibilities while knowing their senior family member will be safe and well cared for.
Contact us online or all us at (630) 323-4665 for a free in-home consultation or for additional information.