Are you tired of people thinking you have it easy when you’re caring for your parent? You’re not alone. There are so many misconceptions regarding family caregivers. These are some of the more common ones. Use these tips to know how to react or respond.
You’d Do Better Hiring Someone Else
Situations differ. If you’re a family caregiver, there’s a reason for it. People may think you’d be better off hiring elder care services, but that may not be right in your situation. Your parents may be limited in terms of income. Until you figure out the finances, you don’t have the means to hire anyone else.
You don’t have to go into details about your parents’ money, but you can ask the person who makes this comment if they realize that Medicare generally doesn’t cover home care aides. Long-term care insurance does, but there are still restrictions in terms of who you can hire and how much the insurance company covers.
Men Are Not Caregivers
If you’re a son caring for a mom or dad, you may have people telling you that women are family caregivers and that you’re odd. While women were more likely to be the family caregiver, that’s changing. More and more men are embracing this role.
When someone makes a comment, it may be easier to ignore them. If you want to say something, tell them old views on family caregiving are a thing of the past. Men are nurses, women are doctors, and any loving family member is more than capable of caring for an aging parent.
It Must Be Nice to No Longer Have to Go to Work
For some reason, there are people who don’t view working from home or providing care to an aging parent as work. They envision your life is full of watching TV and eating chocolates. They have no idea how hard caregiving really is.
Feel free to give them insight into all that you do all day. Tell them how you no longer have any savings and that your retirement funds are unlikely to be much at all when you retire. It may not convince everyone that you work harder than most, but some will suddenly start to view caregivers in a new light.
When you’re a family caregiver, you must leave time to do the things that are important to you. Don’t push aside having a social life. Social isolation can impact your health. Don’t try to do it all. Call an elder care agency to discuss respite care. You’ll still be your mom or dad’s caregiver, but the elder care aides also step in to give you a break whenever you need one.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Senior Care in Glendale, 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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