The dilemma facing many senior caregivers today is how to manage multiple roles…how to feel you are giving your best to your elderly parents, your children, your work and everything else that life brings.
Some statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ time use study in 2011 illustrates the balancing act of today’s caregivers:
- One third of the caregivers are taking care of two older people or more.
- 23 percent also had a minor child in their households.
In order to manage all of these roles, it is important to identify needs and resources to help. Many caregivers can benefit from a consultation with a geriatric care manager early in the caregiving experience to create a roadmap of how to get started and establish some priorities. Additionally, home care can solve many concerns, help prevent further deterioration and problems and handle customized needs.
How can affordable home care solutions help the family caregiver? How can families create an affordable plan?
- Prevention is valuable to save future headaches, increased costs and problems. For example, medication errors are common for seniors and caregivers, so hiring a home health company for medication management can prevent errors which may cause further detriments. Check out Five Benefits of Introducing Eldercare Before a Crisis.
- You can tailor your home care plan to meet your family’s needs. For example, you might use a home caregiver to assist a loved one with appointments during your work day, allowing you to keep your job while still handling other tasks.
- Home care can be especially useful during times when care needs may be heavier and may cause physical strain. A home health aide could be hired to assist after a hospitalization or to help with baths after an illness. Home health aides are trained in lifting techniques and other safety issues to be better equipped to deal with assisting when people are less mobile.
- Bringing in some help around the home can provide an extra set of “eyes and ears” to bolster your loved one’s safety, especially if you live at a distance or work during the day.
- There are many ways to make a home care plan affordable and most useful for your family. Check out our article on “getting the most bang for your buck” from hiring a home caregiver.
Contact us today at 727-448-0900 for help with affordable home care options and check out two resources we offer to assist you with cost concerns. First, is our Paying for Care tips that explains who covers what and details Medicare, long-term care insurance, Veterans’ Benefits and more. Second, we offer a Costs and Resources for Care tip sheet–click below to grab this resource to help you plan out your budget and find the necessary resources to help,
