Taking Care of the Caregiver: Tips to Help Manage the Responsibility of Elder Care

As life expectancy continues to increase, more and more Americans are finding themselves in the role of family caregiver. The transition from an adult daughter, son, in-law, niece, or nephew to family caregiver can happen abruptly when an aging loved one has a fall or stroke, or occur slowly over time. In either case, caring for an aging loved one can become burdensome as the needs of the senior family member grow more demanding over time. It’s no wonder that the sandwich generation, those caring for aging family members while also caring for children of their own, are often left exhausted and vulnerable to experiencing caregiver burnout.

The stress of balancing the many responsibilities that come with being a family caregiver can lead to a diminished immune system. Weakened immune systems means that family caregivers have a higher risk for the flu, common colds, and even the coronavirus. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s critical that family caregivers prioritize their own health and well-being. With that in mind, here are a few tips to help the family caregiver manage the responsibility of elder care, in order to give them time and space to take care of themselves.

Know Your Own Limits
Nobody can do it all, despite their best efforts or intentions. If you are a family caregiver, it’s important for you to think about what you can and cannot do in regards to caring for your aging loved one. Whether it’s physical care tasks that demand more strength than you currently possess, or time restrictions on your life as you work full time and are in the middle of raising a family. If you continue to push yourself beyond your capable limits, you’ll end up exhausted and burnt out, leaving your aging loved one without any support. The sooner you realize that you just cannot do it all, the sooner you can establish appropriate boundaries and get the help you need.

Ask for Family Support
Speaking of help, it’s important the family caregiver seeks support from other family members. In every family, there’s a person who just naturally falls into the family caregiver role. It’s typically the family member closest geographically to the aging family member. Other family members who live further away may feel helpless or aren’t even aware of the needs their aging loved one. If you’re a family caregiver, please ask other family members to support you in your role. Assign specific tasks that would alleviate some of the burden for you, such as arranging grocery delivery, managing finances, helping with home maintenance projects, or washing laundry once a week.

Divide and Conquer
Another way to manage the responsibility of elder care is to divide the care needs amongst family members. This can be extremely beneficial for siblings who may have differing opinions of their aging parents’ care needs. One sibling might be shouldering the burden, leaving other siblings unaware of how much help their aging parents actually require. When the care needs are divided fairly amongst siblings, it’s less likely that they’ll harbor feelings of resentment, bitterness, or guilt towards one another.

Take a Vacation
Another way family can support the family caregiver is to offer them time away so they can take a vacation. Share responsibilities between siblings or other extended family. Surprise the family caregiver by taking over the care responsibilities for an entire week. Then, make it an annual or bi-annual recurrence, so that the family caregiver can take care of themselves. If you don’t have family support, please consider hiring senior home care services to give yourself a respite. Don’t wait until you’re burnt out and unable to arrange for the help you need.

As we all navigate the new norm of social distancing and wearing masks in public settings, perhaps it’s time to establish a new norm for your caregiving routine. A great way to manage the responsibility of elder care is to partner with Visiting Angels Richmond. We offer a wide variety of senior home care services that allow seniors to remain independent and safe in the comfort of their own home. We’re available if you need a respite or if you’re looking for more permanent help year round. Let us shoulder the responsibility so that you can get back to being the daughter, son, niece or nephew. Please contact us today by calling 804-396-6554 so that we can learn more about your situation.