Heaven at Home is your best alternative
for home care of your loved one
Many times we are unwilling to admit that we can no longer function at the same level as we used to in certain areas. For example, this can be a dilemma when mom’s reaction time has slowed to the point that driving the car is no longer safe for her or those around her.
Having a caregiver come into the home may cause a problem for much the same reason that makes it hard to give up driving a car, the fear of loss of independence. While the caregiver is a member of the family, it will likely dilute that fear. But when circumstances demand that the burden on the family has reached a critical stage, then the thought of an outsider in the home may pose the illusion of a threat.
Here are a few things to consider to make the transition easier:
- The most important thing that you can do is make sure that your parent or loved one is intimately involved in the decision. Talk about the alternatives and ensure them that you have given a lot of thought to their comfort and happiness. Make sure they meet and approve of the person before you make a commitment.
- Begin introducing the idea of having someone else help with personal care and chores early. Getting someone accustomed to the concept of having help from outside the immediate family will make the transition easier. Perhaps bringing in someone to help with the cleaning or small tasks around the home will help acclimation to the idea.
- Speak frankly about the pressure that being a family caregiver is putting on the lives of you and your family. This may be something they haven’t even realized, or at least haven’t realized the extent and the impact.
- If appropriate, explain the likelihood of the need for increased levels of care and that you are sensitive to the fact that your parent or loved one would rather be at home than in an institution. It is a documented fact that those placed in a nursing home often suffer depression and lose their vitality as a result
- Explain that when you use home care, in addition to being in a familiar surrounding, it is much more likely that friends and neighbors will continue their relationships.
- Explain that home care services can be established for a limited number of services, if that is all that is initially needed. Then, if the needs expand, they can be met by just increasing the level of care with minimum disruption to their life.
- The majority of physicians say that professional home health care can greatly reduce visits to emergency rooms and hospitals. The presence of a professional caregiver with a backup system through the caregiver’s agency should provide more peace of mind.