Who helps your mom each day? For many families, cost-cutting measures mean that someone in the family is a designated family caregiver. When you have a sister, brother, or other family member who provides most of your mom’s care, have you stopped to consider how much support they’re getting?
A Few Facts About Family Caregivers
The average age of family caregivers is 50. At that age, people often still have to work, so they’re balancing a job and the care their parent needs. Over 60% of family caregivers are female. It’s not surprising to find your sister is the family caregiver for your mom.
In addition to likely holding a job, she may also have kids at home. She’s trying to be there for her children as much as your mom. Plus, most family caregivers help a parent and often hold that role for an average of 3.9 years. It can be very isolating. Does your sister have time to socialize and take care of herself?
Make Sure Your Sister Has Time to Do These Things
Does your sister have time to see her doctor and dentist? If she’s having to attend these appointments with your mom in tow, it’s tough for her to focus on her questions and needs. She’ll spend too much time worrying about your mom being alone in the waiting room.
What about errands? Does your mom have to go with your sister when your sister has errands to run? How well does your mom do when running errands? Is she impatient or does she try to buy everything she sees in the store? If your sister always puts items back that your mom put in the cart, it’s obviously exhausting.
Does your sister have time to cook healthy meals, or is she often rushed for time? If it’s faster and easier for her to heat up a prepared meal from a grocery store, the available meal options are often high in sugar, fat, and sodium. Help her prepare meals with her or deliver home-cooked meals to her as a surprise.
Above all, your sister needs days off to spend time with friends, her children, her spouse, etc. If she’s with your mom seven days a week, then she has no time to socialize. That can’t continue. Someone else needs to be with your mom for a few days each week.
Home care assistance services are one of the best ways to support family caregivers. Arrange to have caregivers help every now and then, so that the family caregiver in your mom’s life can have a day off. Moreover, home care assistance offers supportive services like meal preparation, companionship, and housekeeping.
Talk to a home care assistance specialist to learn more about pricing and schedules. Your mom has the support she needs, while the family caregiver can focus on self-care for a day or two.
If you or an aging loved one is considering Home Care Assistance in Danbury, CT, please contact the caring staff at Elderly Caregivers LLC. today. (203) 628-7438
Sources:
- Six Signs Seniors Need 24-hour Home Care - November 7, 2024
- Symptoms of Lung Cancer Seniors Shouldn’t Ignore - October 15, 2024
- That Ear Pain May Be Due to Earwax - October 2, 2024
