Caregiving is a full-time job. It can be tough for the children of senior parents to take on the task alone - especially if you already have a full-time job or care for your own children. To avoid caregiver burnout and maintain a healthy care-life balance, many children of senior parents make use of senior home healthcare services every week. Home healthcare means that qualified home health aides come visit mom or dad and offer help when you are unable to. If you're unsure of whether this could work for your unique situation, please check out our 4 major signs that you can benefit from senior home services in NJ.
#1 – Lack of energy
Physical exhaustion is one of the first, most easily noticed signs of caregiver burnout. If you are feeling unable to get out of bed in the morning, are losing focus during the day, or are finding it hard to concentrate, then you can benefit from a little extra caregiving help. Family caregivers are often juggling multiple roles – all of which are usually full-time careers – and this can quickly lead to a complete lack of energy and physical exhaustion. This is especially true if you have young children yourself, a demanding job, or if your senior parent’s needs have become more demanding.
#2 – Anxiety and depression
Being a caregiver for a relative is an act of love, but it can also be emotionally difficult. It’s perfectly natural to worry about their safety, the state of their health, their happiness, and their future. Because of this close relationship, it’s easy for caregivers to become anxious or depressed as this emotional stress increases and your loved one’s care needs progress. If you find that you are withdrawing from activities and people you love and are feeling hopeless, frustrated, or sleep deprived, then you can benefit from both senior in-home care and speaking to a professional about these new feelings.
#3 – Increased health problems
The stress and responsibilities of being a family caregiver aren’t easy to carry and can result in issues that affect both your mental and physical health. If you are unwell yourself, it makes caregiving even more difficult and keeps you stuck in this very challenging cycle. You should speak to your doctor about any health problems you are experiencing, whether you’re getting sick more often (stress lowers your immune system), struggling with insomnia or anxiety, or if your existing health conditions are getting worse. It may be a good time to look into professional home care for seniors, so that you can focus on your own health a bit more. After all, the healthier you are, the better you’ll be able to care for and support your loved one.
#4 – Increased care needs of your loved one
One of the most difficult parts of being a family caregiver is knowing your limits – and knowing that the care needs of your parent will increase. Helping with cleaning the house, making nutritious meals, running errands, and transporting your loved one may be easy for you right now. When their care needs start to increase, however, you can be left feeling out of your depth. This is especially true for seniors who have progressive health conditions like dementia, diabetes, or cancer, or those that simply become too frail to be left alone for hours each day or overnight. If you are a caregiver, it’s important for you to understand that you don’t have to be alone in this. There is help available for you at every step of the way.
At-home care available to seniors across New Jersey
Many senior home health care services specialize in skilled nursing, overnight care, medication management, and other more advanced caregiving services. They also have the experience and knowledge to evaluate a person’s condition more accurately and support their health effectively.
The United Methodist Communities HomeWorks program was developed not only to help seniors in New Jersey, but to support the essential work of family caregivers. We’re here to help you on an as-needed basis, providing you with scalable and skilled care to support your caregiving duties. From night nurses, to respite care, wound care, and companionship, we’re here to help you give your loved one the best possible care and quality of life.
To find out more about hiring a home health aide in New Jersey, please contact us today or visit our website at:
https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/
This blog was originally published at https://homeworks.umcommunities.org/blog/4-signs-that-caregivers-can-benefit-from-senior-home-care-services/
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