“Yes, of course Mom can move in with me!”
More family caregivers are making this noble choice each and every day, signifying the start of lifestyle changes they can only fully comprehend when in the middle of them. And even though the positive aspects of providing care for an adult family member are immeasurable, they are not lacking in struggles as well. Often times, the number one caregiver fear sets in: What if I make a mistake?
It might seem natural to take care of daily tasks for a senior loved one; yet it’s significantly less instinctive than it appears at first. For example, assisting a loved one into the shower or bath incorrectly may cause a fall. Poor incontinence care may cause skin damage and infection. Noncompliance with a recommended dietary plan may result in an array of health problems.
It’s no wonder that in a newly released report shared by AARP, “Home Alone Revisited,” many family caregivers disclosed pressure over the potential for making an error in the care they provide. The report highlights answers from a survey sent to over 2,000 family caregivers, who revealed that even though they understood their caregiving was enabling their family members to remain at home instead of a move to an assisted living or nursing home setting, they conveyed concern over their proficiency to accomplish the tasks required.
Respondents in the survey divulged that by far the most emotionally stressful aspect of caregiving is incontinence care. And, approximately ¾ of family caregivers surveyed are routinely undertaking medical tasks related to pain management – tasks for which they wished they had been given better training and recommendations from the senior’s health care team.
Heather Young, dean emerita at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at the University of California, Davis (and co-author of the report) points out that, “Too often (family caregivers) are unprepared and do not get the support they need to assume these important roles.”
Reaching out for help and training in unfamiliar tasks is critical for family caregivers. Families who partner with a knowledgeable home health agency in Los Angeles, CA, such as JFS Care, can lessen the trepidation and anxiety in managing care in the home effectively. Our caregivers are professionally trained in the many intricacies of aging care, and will provide members of the family with valuable guidance and education. We also offer safe, reliable respite care services that enable family caregivers to step back from their care duties while knowing their elder family member will be safe and well cared for.
Contact us at (213) 383-2273 for a complimentary in-home consultation and for additional information about our Jewish family services home health care in Los Angeles and the surrounding communities. We can help relieve your top caregiver fear. Click here to see our full service area.