Keeping My Parents Happy

Being a full-time caregiver for a loved one has its rewards, but it can also be extremely stressful. Caregivers need to have regular breaks from their responsibilities, so they don't get burned out or neglect their personal needs and relationships. Thankfully, respite care is available. Here is a look at four advantages of taking occasional breaks.

Prevent Isolation

When you're caring for someone else around the clock, it is very easy to become isolated from other people. When you aren't getting out of the house and socializing with friends or other family members, it's easy to start feeling very alone. Hiring a respite care worker will allow you to leave your loved one in capable hands so you can go out and interact will society.

Ward Off Depression

The reality of many caregiving situations can be quite depressing. For example, a daughter who is caring for her mother with Alzheimer's disease is caught in the inevitable circle of life. But knowing this is just how things are doesn't make it any easier to see your loved one's once-sharp mind slip away and their body wither. Caregivers need regularly scheduled breaks, so they have the time to decompress and take care of their own mental health needs.

Alleviate Tension

Even under the best of circumstances, being with someone 24 hours a day gets old. Everyone needs a break and time away from one another. If this doesn't happen, it is only natural that people start lashing out.

Hiring a respite care worker to come in and care for your Mom or Dad on a regular basis will go a long way in preserving your relationship with your charge. It gives the person you are caring for a break, too. It can be extremely difficult for parents to see the role reversal happening in their relationships with their adult children.

Outsource Difficult Tasks

It is not uncommon for senior citizens to be quite stubborn and set in their ways. If they also have Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia, they can even become physically combative in some situations.

For example, some patients may not want to bathe regularly, as they see it as an invasion of their privacy. Personal hygiene tasks can also be uncomfortable for the adult child caregiver to perform. Hiring a respite care worker to take care of these kinds of chores can be beneficial to everyone all around as a health care professional doing them won't feel so invasive.

Contact local senior care services to learn more about the help they can offer you.