Before you step into the role as a family carer, you should learn what your responsibilities include. Although the tasks associated with the job will depend on your ageing loved one’s physical and mental abilities, there are some duties all carers have. Continue reading to learn what challenges you can expect and how to handle each issue.
1. Chronic Stress
Worrying about how your loved one will manage a disease or respond to treatment during recovery could be stressful and increase the risk of depression and anxiety. As a family carer, you need to find ways to manage stress. Learn more about your family member’s health condition, set realistic goals, and speak with your his or her primary care physician to see if there are any carer support groups you can join to receive the positive interactions and support you need.
2. Lack of Assistance
Getting help from family and friends can be difficult, but you’ll need to find ways to ask others to step up when it comes to providing care. You can try developing a schedule that works great for everyone and assigning tasks based on each family member’s strengths.
Families who need help caring for a senior loved one can turn to Home Care Assistance, a leading provider of senior care. Services available in our customisable care plans include meal prep, mental and social stimulation, assistance with personal hygiene tasks, and much more.
3. Behavioural Challenges
As seniors age and their health decreases, they could experience behavioural challenges, such as agitation and aggression. Managing these behaviours could be difficult and increase your anxiety levels. However, developing strategies to distract your parent and redirect his or her attention to something positive could help you manage the behavioural challenges.
4. Decreased Social Activity
Many family carers become so involved in their duties that they fail to maintain their own identities. Instead of doing things they enjoy, family carers sometimes withdraw from social events and devote every free moment to caring for their ageing parents. You can prevent this from happening by setting time aside each week to attend outings with your friends, have lunch with a co-worker, or take time off to go on vacation with your spouse and children.
If you’re the primary carer for a senior family member and are looking for professional in-home care, Newcastle Home Care Assistance should be your top choice. Our dedicated and compassionate care workers are committed to helping older adults manage their health and enjoy a higher quality of life in the golden years.
5. Financial Strain
Paying for medications, doctor visits, meals, and other expenses can be challenging, especially if your parent is unable to help with the costs. Most of this financial strain can be reduced by ensuring your loved one has adequate health coverage and taking advantage of financial services available to seniors, which may include free transportation, reduced prescription prices, and grants that pay for meals and aged care services.
6. Lack of Sleep
Providing care could prevent you from getting adequate sleep, which is bad for your mental and physical health. You can enhance your sleep quality by asking others to help out more, keeping your loved one active throughout the day, and using options such as respite care. With respite care, a professional can come in at night or during the day, allowing you to catch up on rest while providing basic or specialised services for your parent.
For some families, caring for a senior loved one can be overwhelming at times. Luckily, they can rely on professional respite care. Newcastle, NSW, Home Care Assistance is a trusted name in respite and hourly care. Our care workers are available around the clock to assist seniors with bathing, transportation, medication reminders, exercise, and much more, allowing families the time they need to focus on other important responsibilities or just take a break. Reach out to us at Home Care Assistance if you need compassionate professional care. Call one of our dedicated Care Managers today at (02) 4089 3000 to learn about the high quality of our in-home care services.
