It’s hard to know what your senior wants from you, especially when you’re not sure where you stand as her caregiver. There are some basics, though, beyond simply doing what you can in order to meet her daily needs. Sometimes a relationship changes because you’re now taking care of your senior and that can leave you feeling at loose ends.
No Judgments
Your senior has probably made a lot of decisions over the years that don’t necessarily make sense to you. She is probably still making decisions now about her health that you find confusing, like continuing to smoke when she knows it’s unhealthy. But judging her or nagging her doesn’t help at all. What she needs from you is your support even when she’s not meeting up to your standards every moment.
Remember They’re Adults
It’s easy for caregivers to forget sometimes that their aging family member is an adult. Try to refrain from infantilizing pet names or baby talk that makes your family member feel less than human. It’s important for her to still have some autonomy. After all, she’s fought a long and hard battle to get here.
Take Care of Yourself, Too
Your elderly family member doesn’t want you to run yourself into the ground just to take care of her. She knows that you need to take care of yourself, even if it sometimes scares her when you leave for a while. Pay attention to how you’re feeling and make sure you’re eating right and resting. If you’ve put off your own doctor’s appointments, it’s time to get back in that office for a checkup.
Let Them Know You’re Going to Be There
A big fear for many aging adults is that their caregiver will give up on them. Let your elderly family member know that you’re there for her no matter what. It’s a big commitment, but it’s one that you can meet with some help from your own support network. If you’ve got other family members in the area too, lean on them for their assistance when you can.
Try talking to your aging family member about what she expects and what she wants from you as her caregiver. She might tell you some variation on the information above and some other details, to boot. Just remember to do the best that you can to keep her safe and as healthy as possible. It doesn’t have to be complicated.
If you or an aging loved one is considering Home Care Services in Lorton, VA, please contact the caring staff at Access Home Care Inc. Proudly Serving Northern Virginia and Surroundings for over 12 years.
Call Us: (703) 765-9350
“My desire to enter into nursing started when one of my older sisters died of kidney disease due to lack of care. At age 15, I decided to enter into nursing so that I could provide quality care to patients.Upon arrival in United States at 21 years of age, I enrolled in T.C Willliams School of Practical Nursing while working as a nursing assistant at a nursing home. I also worked as a part-time home health aide to take of the elderly. After completion of my practical nurse education, I worked in geriatric psychiatry unit at Dominion Hospital and Arlington Correctional facility mental health unit.
I completed Marymount University in 2001 and entered into Home Care as a field case manager.
I held that position for 2 years and as an Administrator, and for another 2 years until Access Home Care was found in 2004."
Today, Access Home Care has over 300 employees and 286 clients.
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