Caregiving is full of situations that leave you feeling just off balance enough to be uncomfortable. Without the right support network, you might worry that you’re just no good at this caregiving thing.
Family, Friends, and Neighbors
The first place you might want to turn for help is your immediate circle. Friends, family members, and even neighbors may be able to help you with all sorts of smaller tasks. It can be nerve wracking to start asking for help, but it’s an important first step.
Home Care Providers
Home care providers have a lot of experience helping caregivers and their aging adults. They can show you timesaving tips and handle situations that are too much for you on your own. Your senior may find it comforting to have assistance from home care providers who know what they’re doing.
Support Groups
Being a caregiver can be emotionally draining and no one knows that better than other family caregivers. Do some research and find some support groups in your area. If attending in person is too taxing, consider looking for online support groups that can help.
A Therapist
You may have some specific issues around caregiving that you don’t feel comfortable sharing with other people you don’t know well. It can help to find a therapist or a counselor that you trust so that you can work through some of those issues. They can give you the tools that you need in order to carry on with being a caregiver.
Agencies that Help the Elderly
Many caregivers don’t realize that agencies that help the elderly can offer all sorts of help to caregivers, as well. Even if they can’t help you with a specific issue, they can likely point you in the right direction. And as you research agencies, keep a running list. You never know when you’ll need the help that they provide.
Other Local Agencies
You might also want to keep your feelers out for any agencies in your area that offer other types of help, too. They may not work specifically with the elderly or with caregivers, but they might be able to solve a particular problem that you’re having.
Sometimes you might feel as if you are forging new ground when it comes to getting the support that you need as a caregiver. Don’t give up, because the right solution for you and your elderly family member is out there, you just have to find it.
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