Being a family caregiver for an elderly parent can be an wonderful, meaningful way to show your parent how much you love them and ensure that they get the level of care that they desire and deserve as they age in place. If you are living at a distance from your parent, however, you could experience a variety of issues that can make fulfilling these care responsibilities more challenging. Understanding the potential challenges of being a distance family caregiver can allow you to evaluate this role and make the proper arrangements to ensure that this relationship is as successful as possible.
Some of the challenges that you may face being a distance family caregiver include:
- Feeling as though you are not close enough to your parent to thoroughly your parent's needs
- Feeling as though you are not close enough to your parent to be with them as frequently as you would want to be
- Concern that your parent is not safe in their home and not being able to address the safety issues regularly
- Concern that your senior is suffering loneliness or isolation that threaten their mental and emotional health and well-being
- Needing to arrange for transportation to get your parent to doctor's appointments and other necessary activities
- Requiring additional time and planning when you do go visiting your parent, particularly if you need to be away from your children and partner overnight
Being a family caregiver for an elderly adult can be challenging and stressful. Fortunately, home care can be a meaningful and valuable solution for your care routine. An in-home care services provider can step in to support your care efforts, fill care gaps, and provide services that you cannot handle on your own due to your own challenges and limitations or because you or your parent are not comfortable with you handling them. This care provider can also be a valuable source of companionship and support, offering your parent greater mental and emotional stimulation, boosting their mental and emotional health, and encouraging them to live a lifestyle that is more engaged and fulfilling as they age in place. This can offer you tremendous peace of mind as you know that they are getting all of the care that they need while also allowing you to focus on your own needs and other obligations and responsibilities in your life. This can be especially beneficial if your parent lives at a distance from you, allowing you to rest assured that they are getting everything that they need even during the time when you are not able to be with them.
If you or an aging loved one are considering caregivers in East Lansing, MI, please contact the caring staff at Seniors Helping Seniors of Lansing. Call today: 517-332-9953.