Being a caregiver to an elderly parent is selfless but requires a lot of time, patience, and sacrifice. So, before you give up your career or try to juggle work, family, and an aging parent – think long and hard. Many adult children will have to decide whether or not to be their parent’s caregiver, place them in a nursing home, or hire a home care provider. If putting your elderly parent in a nursing home is against their wishes, then you have two choices left: be their caregiver or hire a home care provider. Which one do you choose? Do you leave your job and weaken your financial stability, or do you hire a professional trustworthy home care provider? If you have a strong relationship with your elderly parent you may want to take on the full responsibility of being their caregiver but caring for them may decrease your own self-care. Here are some reasons why you should hire a home care provider, either full-time or part-time, to care for your elderly parent:
- Your own happiness is important.
This is not to say that being self-centered and selfish will increase happiness, it means honoring boundaries, your own personal likes and dislikes, and how certain decisions will affect your own overall happiness. Some adult children blindly take on being their elderly parent’s caregiver not having a full understanding of the serious impact it has on their own life. Please read the AARP Research Report regarding family caregiving. - Don’t risk your own finances.
Many adult children have given up their own careers to become their parent’s full-time caregivers. Leaving a job you depended on to maintain your standard of living and plans for retirement will definitely weaken your financial position. Even if your elderly parent has their own savings, you don’t know how long that will last especially if they require special care for Alzheimer’s, dementia, diabetes, Parkinson’s, stroke, or other serious illness. Leaving a paying job to be your parent’s caregiver will increase your stress while decreasing your own current and future financial security. - Your own family needs you.
Being married with children or a single parent is hard work especially if you have to balance your work life and your household, now how would adding an elderly person fit into this equation? If you feel like you are being pulled in different directions by your children, spouse, and job, adding more onto your full plate will be overwhelming and won’t be good for anyone involved. Your own family needs you at your best, your job requires you to perform at your best, and your aging parent needs someone that is capable of providing them with the best care. - Asking for help is okay.
You can still be a wonderful child to your parent without having to be their personal caregiver. There is nothing wrong with asking for professional help to care for your elderly parent especially if they require undivided attention. Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness, it is a sign of strength because you know your limits and you want what’s best for your parent. Hiring a professional in-home care provider doesn’t mean you are abandoning them, it means you want only the best for them. A professional in-home care provider is more qualified to care for an elderly person than someone who lacks the specialized training and experience. A professional in-home care provider contributes to a higher quality of life for your loved one and you. - Your mental health is important.
Oftentimes the people that we choose to surround ourselves with influence us on an emotional and mental level. If your elderly parent is clinically depressed, in bad physical health, or is displaying signs of cognitive issues, it will greatly impact your mental health. Watching your elderly parent’s overall health decline is no easy task and it can be traumatizing especially if you are used to seeing them healthy and full of life. Your mental health should be made a priority because in the process of trying to take care of your elderly parent who will take care of you?
If you are searching for a caring, trustworthy, professional senior home care in McLean, or in-home care in Falls Church, or home care in Burke, please contact Safe and Secure Transition Home Care at 703-539-0411 or Click the Image Below:
Our home care agency is a home care provider in northern Virginia providing home care in Falls Church, Alexandria, Arlington, Burke, Springfield, Fairfax, Vienna and McLean
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