Senior care
Senior care is a complicated issue. Families start off with good intentions and want to provide round the clock care for their loved one and be there for every moment, and as their loved ones needs change and become more complicated everyone will try to do their best to still be the primary caregiver so that the decision to avoid having to depend on a facility to provide care can be avoided.
Everyone’s heart is in the right place and intentions are always good, the problems start to arise when family members realize that certain skills and expertise play a real part in providing good care. For example bathing. Bathing to you and I is easy, but what happens when a senior who has dementia or another mind altering condition refuses to bath? this can become a real issue not just for general hygiene issues but then you have to think about bed sores forming and skin break down… and well the domino affect begins. There are so many other examples of obstacles that are going to be encountered when providing care and I know you get the picture. There is always going to be moments where families are going to ask “ Can I really do this”? .
Now I know what your thinking, what’s your point Pauline? my point is when is it time to reach out and say I need help or we need help. Look I’ve seen it time and time again clients family members look at me and tell me things like , my mother will never accept someone in her home, or things like I don’t feel comfortable with a stranger in my house, how am I supposed to be ok with handing my loved ones care over to the unknown is basically what they are saying, meanwhile everyone providing care is stressed out, over booked, tired, missing work, needs a moment to decompress and even bordering on tears.
How about we look at this from a different perspective. When you go to the hospital because you are sick or you need care, do you have to know the person who is providing your care personally? or do you rest in the assurance that they know what they are doing? Hiring a caregiver, home health agency, hospice, is no different. Actually I believe it is a little easier to ease into because with the abundance of agencies now providing care, you have the ability to ask for a home visit and get to know everyone and what the agency is about before you make a decision. Look while all the agencies provide different services the most basic service to help relieve some of the pressures of senior care is non-medical personal care. Yes just like TCSC. the point is realizing that their are skilled, qualified, compassionate individuals out here that can help in those moments that you need a break, or better yet these services can provide the hands on care your loved one needs so you can sit back and continue the role of being family without the caregiver attached to it. Reach out if you want to ask questions or if you need information..Im always here.
Pauline Prince.
