Family Caregivers Need Support, Too

Caregiver in Lexington NC

Family caregivers who are unpaid are in need of help from professional in-home caregivers for a variety of reasons.

A recent article in Huffington Post, points out the reasons why professional in-home caregivers are so critically important as part of the care for those receiving home care:

Here are the top reasons to seek the services of a professional in-home caregiver:

• Burnout – Unpaid caregivers suffer burnout if they do not get some time off (called respite) from providing 24-hour, seven days per week in-home care.
• Failing to Ask for Help – Family caregivers are unlikely to ask others for volunteer help, such as friends or other family members. The reason for this is they know first-hand how difficult the job is to take care of the person. They do not want to burden others with this effort. Paying a modest amount for professional in-home care, even if only part-time, reduces the guilty feeling of asking for help.
• Best Practices and Ongoing Education – When a family caregiver only has enough time to try his or her best to provide care from another person, there is no time or opportunity to learn the newest helpful skills. A professional in-home caregiver, on the other hand, stays up-to-date on the latest helpful skills that apply for the various stages of any illness such as Alzheimer’s, which progresses over time.
• Recognition – Family caregivers, who get a timeout from giving care, also get recognition of the value of their service. This recognition keeps them motivated.
• Taking Time For Healthcare Need of Caregivers – Family caregivers who are unpaid are likely to neglect their own personal healthcare needs, when there is no time to deal with their own problems. This is problematic, especially for the elderly. When a caregiver does not take care of her or his self, they are likely to become ill. If they become ill, they are not capable of taking care of the other person. It is critical that family caregivers realize that their own good health is a very important component of being able to take care of another person.
• Emotional Support – By using the help available from professional in-home caregivers, the family caregiver has the time to attend support groups for caregivers. Emotional support from others providing elder care and going through similar experiences is very helpful.
• Finding a Cure – When an unpaid family caregiver has some free time, they can also support efforts that seek to find a cure by volunteering to participate in long-term studies conducted by researchers. Their insights and experiences are valuable to researchers who are working on treatment protocols, trying to understand diseases, and learning how to find a cure.

Conclusion
Providing the best quality in-home care comes from a combination of the efforts of family caregivers who have assistance from professional in-home caregivers. Even when a professional caregiver assists only part-time in providing care, this gives the family caregiver highly necessary time for respite and time to pursue other beneficial activities.

If you or an aging loved one are considering caregiver services in Lexington, NC, contact the caring professionals at TenderHearted Home Care today. Call us at (704) 612-4132.

Source
5 Things You Didn’t Know About Alzheimer’s Caregivers
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jan-dougherty/5-things-you-didnt-know-a_b_8452886.html