Many adult children would do anything for their aging parents. There’s a good chance, if you’re reading this, you are one of those adult children. And you are not alone. A full twenty-three percent of adults in the 45-64 age range are caregivers to one or more seniors.
Caring for parents over 65 is usually a volunteer job with no stipend or benefits. Despite that, many, many caregivers report that they get a great deal of satisfaction from caring for their parents.
Many adults remember their childhoods with great fondness. They want to repay some of the debt they feel to their beloved parents. According to the Pew Research Center, eighty-eight percent of adult children who care for parents feel that way. By contrast, only a third of the adult caregivers surveyed said that caregiving stressed them out. And a very slim eight percent said they thought that mom or dad was asking for too much.
It gets stressful when cognitive impairment is involved
Where caregiving is most likely to get stressful is when a beloved parent is diagnosed with dementia. Dementia patients have been known to become angry and irrational and even act out with physical violence against their paid and unpaid caregivers.
And dementia may involve more physical caregiving, such as helping with bathing, dressing, and toileting. These occupations can be both physically and emotionally stressful. Research suggests that women caregivers perform these intimate tasks more often than men do.
Caregiving for an Alzheimer’s patient can be especially taxing. In fact, caregiving under these circumstances not only leads to stress, but the caregiver is also at risk of neglecting his or her own care and health. Some disturbing statistics indicate that many caregivers die before the parents or spouses they are caring for.
Not only that, but the risks of mortality for a caregiver of an Alzheimer’s patient are higher than the risk of death for a person who is not caring for such an individual.
Time for home care
It’s never too early to bring in-home care professionals to help with the care of an aging relative. Even seniors who are capable of bathing, dressing and cooking for themselves often benefit immensely from home care. The steady companionship that home care offers often makes the difference between good health and declining health for many people over 65.
That’s because home care prevents the social isolation that is so dangerous to the elderly who live on their own. Loneliness gives rise to a host of ailments including depression, dementia, and self-neglect.
So it’s never a bad time to hire some extra help. When a parent has Alzheimer’s or requires a great deal of physical help, home care may be essential to preventing caregiver’s burnout, self-neglect, or early death.
In conclusion, many caregivers love giving back to their parents. But you do not have to do this alone. Hiring home care may be just the extra helping hand you need to prevent getting overwhelmed. And home care can pick up the hard chores while you focus on enjoying your parents’ company and letting them enjoy yours.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Homecare in Sun City West, AZ, please contact the caring staff at Blessings for Seniors Companion Care at (623) 594-0819
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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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