Home Care: During the past several months, your relationship with your aging father has been strained.
You have been helping take care of him and, though you know he appreciates it, he hasn’t shown that. His frustration, anger, outbursts, and more have taken a toll on you emotionally and mentally. You never thought about home care before, but lately, with the pressure, stress, and frustration mounting, you know you are running out of options.
Home care is a wonderful option to consider for any senior, even the one who has a strong network of family members to support him or her. There are some great reasons why a home care aide could actually strengthen your relationship again with your aging father.
Reason #1: Home care aides have experience.
Most family caregivers don’t. When your father needed support, if you are like the average family caregiver, you were probably in your late 40s or early 50s and had never done anything like this before.
You probably made a few mistakes. Miscues, as it were. Nothing nefarious, nothing deliberate, but missed opportunities, focusing on the wrong things, and so forth can create tension in the relationship.
A home care aide will have likely worked with dozens, maybe even hundreds of aging clients over the years. He or she will understand what is most important to elderly men and women, including your father, and how best to tap into their interests while keeping them safe.
Reason #2: They can become the buffer.
Your father is probably frustrated. He is frustrated by his declining health, strength, and his need to depend on you, his adult daughter or son. He is also frustrated that he can’t do some of the things that were once easy, things he still wishes he could do.
You might be more concerned about his safety, but he still wants to live life. He still wants to have a higher quality of life. That is simply going to create tension in the relationship.
A home care aide can become the buffer. You won’t have to constantly hound your father to stay safe, to slow down, to avoid doing certain tasks, at least alone. You can, instead, have a nice, casual conversation with him, go for walks, and not have to worry about cleaning up after him, doing the laundry, or helping him do things around the house that he simply can’t do alone.
It will give you more quality time together. That is a wonderful buffer to enjoy.
Reason #3: You don’t have to parent him.
When the adult child becomes apparent, that strains relationships. While the home care aide can be the buffer, more importantly, it means you don’t have to be his parent anymore.
You can be his adult child or, better yet, supportive friend. You may still worry about things, you may not agree with everything the senior care aide does or suggests, but when you trust them and their experience, you can simply be there for your father.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Care in Goodyear, AZ, please contact the caring staff at Blessings for Seniors Companion Care at (623) 594-0819
Blessings for Seniors makes it possible for older adults to enjoy the comforts of their own home for as long as possible. We offer a customized care plan that includes services such as; Hourly Senior Home Care, 24-Hour Home Care, Dementia Care, Personal Care and Companion Care. Also ask us about our Veterans’ Home Care program.
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