Here at Christian Companions Houston, we understand how difficult it can be for family caregivers to offer their loved ones compassionate care while also trying to manage their own life.
Though we may not see it as such, taking care of an aging loved one can be a full-time job. From things like picking up medications, transporting to and from appointments, getting groceries, meal preparation, home modifications, and help around the house, the list of jobs a family caregiver has can be quite lengthy.
Being a family caregiver in Houston requires a lot of patience and determination. Sometimes traffic will be against you, or maybe it'll be the weather. Regardless of the difficulties, the experience and act of caring for your loved one can feel quite rewarding.
After all, your parents cared for you for as long as you can remember. It's only natural to want to return the favor and care for them. However, managing one's own life can be difficult enough as it is.
Christian Companions Houston knows this balancing act well and we are here to help!
Below are some great tips to help manage your family caregiving and help prevent burn out:
Routine
A great tip is to keep things in routine and maintain a schedule. The routine will eventually start to feel natural and you won’t have to spend so much energy trying to figure out “what's next”. Humans thrive in routine and caring for another should be no exception.
Sharing is Caring
Taking care of an aging loved one can be difficult but there’s no reason to take it all upon yourself. One person can only do so much without becoming completely overwhelmed.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help from family members and relatives and share the caregiving work.
Simple things like going to and from appointments or grabbing medications are things that often slip past people’s minds but can be an immense help if you’re the primary caregiver. Be sure to communicate this with other family members and they might find ways they can help.
Schedules and routines are great for this as well. Creating a schedule that works with everyone’s activities is also a great way to ensure that the caregiving is being handled fairly and no one person is taking on too much.
Maintain a Sense of Independence
Depending on the level of care your loved one might need, it’s important to find the areas where they can still remain independent. It's crucial not to over-manage our loved one or start to dictate their lives. This can often backfire and make the relationship more difficult as our loved one's may begin to feel like a burden or that you might be treating them as a child.
Have a conversation with your loved one and determine the things that they would still like to do independently, what you can take over, and what you can both work on together.
Some things around the house may require some modifications to enable their independence but that’s a good way to find middle ground.
Programs and Activities
Talk to your loved one about any activities or groups that they might be interested in joining or participating in. Things like rec centers or senior game nights are great ways to care for your loved one while still allowing them to be independent and socialize.
They are also great ways to help your loved one stay active while affording you some of your own free time.
Don’t forget about #1
In order to be an effective caregiver, it is important to be well-rested and able to take on the work. So part of your caregiving routine should be caregiving for yourself!
Find activities that are just for you that help you unwind and recharge. Be sure to schedule them in with the other things and make it a routine event.
Let others know that those activities are important to you and necessary in order to keep you mentally and physically sound.
Professional Assistance
There are going to be times where you are just too overburdened with life events and you might need the services that in-home caregivers can offer. This is a great way to still give your loved one amazing care and also helps lighten your load so you can recharge.
find the things that are most challenging for you or your schedule and have an in-home caregiver do that instead. The wonderful aspect of in-home caregiving is that you can schedule it for as often or as little as you might need.
Your loved one will also benefit from the social aspect of having a professionally trained caregiver come around and help out.
If you think you or your loved one could benefit from the services of an in-home caregiver, please reach out to us today. Christian Companions Houston and our caregivers are ready and eager to assist your loved one in anything from morning and night-time routines, medication reminders, errand assistance and even companionship.
Our compassionate caregivers can help ease the load of caring for an aging loved one in the Houston area.
Let Christian Companions help your loved one age-in-place with grace.