VISITING ANGELS CENTRAL COAST IN CALIFORNIA 831-430-0616
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The Importance of Respect When Providing Senior Care in Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties

At Visiting Angels, we are committed to treating clients in Scotts Valley, Watsonville, Carmel, Aptos, Santa Cruz, Marina, and nearby cities in California with dignity and respect when providing senior care

The role reversal that comes with caring for senior loved ones can be emotional and complicated. As a family caregiver, you may be wearing several hats such as nurse, chauffer and housekeeper—explaining medical instructions, providing transportation and helping with home maintenance. Although you’re the child in the relationship, you may be caring for the parent who once took care of you.

Both you and your parents are thrust into new roles when your parents start to enter their golden years, and the stress can be tremendous. Just yesterday your parents were jumping in the car to run errands or hopping on a flight to a tropical vacation. Their world is now a lot smaller. They may have given up driving privileges or may be using a cane or walker. Cognitive issues may be lessening their independence. They may have forfeited their checkbook or hired help to mow the lawn.

It’s important to remember—they’re still the same people inside, even with their new challenges.

How Can I Respectfully Provide Senior Care for My Loved One?

At Visiting Angels Central Coast, we’ve gathered five approaches to senior care to help family caregivers engage with loved ones in a respectful way.

  1. Subtly assist. Seniors want to feel as independent as possible. Although they may need assistance stepping off a curb, they don’t want to feel dependent. Offer help with a comment like, “This curb looks slippery, let’s hang onto one another!” If you discreetly offer help, they won’t feel as needy.

  2. Listen. The world spins quickly, and they may not be current with trending topics. They may instead wish to regale you with tales from their younger years. Let them. You may know the stories by heart, but if sharing brings joy, indulge them.

  3. Defer to them. It’s easy for seniors to get lost in the conversations whizzing around them. Ask them what they think or encourage them to share a story. Give them center stage to help them feel connected to family and the world around them.

  4. Offer your time. Quality time is precious. You may have spent several hours at a doctor’s appointment but make time to pick up dinner or enjoy a movie together. Their days are often full of maintenance and medical tasks, so gifting your time to make new memories is priceless.

  5. Empathize. Picture yourself in forty years. How would you want to be treated? Try to understand what this new chapter is like. You want the best for your loved one, but it’s challenging with your own busy life. Call a professional home care agency like Visiting Angels Central Coast for help if you're overwhelmed.

At Visiting Angels Central Coast, we are here to support you and your family with personalized, one-on-one senior care services. Our professional caregivers can handle personal care and household tasks, so you can spend time with you senior loved one and create new memories.

For more information on the importance of respect when providing senior care, call Visiting Angels Central Coast at 831-430-0616.

Serving Scotts Valley, Watsonville, Marina, Carmel, Santa Cruz, Aptos, Salinas, and throughout Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties in California

Visiting Angels CENTRAL COAST IN CALIFORNIA
5274 Scotts Valley Dr #102
Scotts Valley, CA 95066
Phone: 831-430-0616
Fax: 831-430-0612
HCO #444700002

Serving Scotts Valley, Watsonville, Marina, Carmel, Santa Cruz, Aptos, Salinas, and throughout Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties in California

Visiting Angels CENTRAL COAST IN CALIFORNIA
5274 Scotts Valley Dr #102
Scotts Valley, CA 95066
Phone: 831-430-0616
Fax: 831-430-0612
HCO #444700002