There’s something about aging that can make some people worry a little. Your elderly relative might be aging gracefully and with plenty of humour and love still in her, and yet her extra health needs or delicacy might worry you a little. How are you to provide good care? How might your relationship with them change? What implications does aging have on their mental health, and what signs of physical worries should you be looking out for? All of this can be hard to theorize, but you will know when said experiences come to you.
But remember, no matter your caregiving responsibilities, your intent to do a good job is all that matters. Sure your elderly relative might ask you for a few favours from time to time, or wish to spend more time with you, but it’s important to remember that they are a family member and not some ‘project’ that you are working on. This can reduce your fear when only hoping to be a great relative.
Speak With Their Doctor
Despite the doctor/patient confidentiality norms, if you are a registered caregiver or next of kin of your family member, you can often speak to the Doctor about any advice of care they have for you. They may even be able to refer you to certain training elements in order to help them cope. For example, helping your elderly relative manage their diabetes, or being able to accurately report on their condition can help you ensure they are never unable to get help when needed. You may also ask a sibling of yours to gain the same abilities, in order to take some of the burden from your shoulders. When you are directed by the official source, you can feel less like you’re shooting blanks in the dark when it comes to practical caregiving to this end.
Consider A Care Home
Bringing your elderly relative to a care home can be a great idea if they need a better standard of care than you can give them, or if they are becoming a huge burden on your life and you need to find a way out of that situation in the healthiest manner possible. Care homes registered with TrustedCare are by far the most reputable and worthwhile to consider from the offset, as they have a range of facilities able to care for many maladies and considerations that can unfortunately come with old age. It’s not a bad thing to wish to raise the quality of life of your parent, especially if their complete independence is gaining greatly diminishing returns.
Bond With Them
Of course, they are still your family member. They are not some project of yours, or some curse put upon you. Don’t treat them as such. Laugh with them, talk to them, involve your children with them, and generally respect them as much as you can. It’s this way that your healthy and normal perspective and appreciation for them can bloom, no matter the challenge of care you have.
With this advice, we hope you can reduce your fear of helping your elderly relative.
