Managing Life as a Senior Caregiver
Santa Clarita residents are hardworking and dedicated to their families, but sometimes the responsibility of caregiving for an elderly parent can present challenges to their everyday lives. Comfort Keepers are Santa Clarita’s expert on senior care, and we know that taking on the role as a caregiver can be a full-time job on its own.
When you love an elderly parent, you will naturally want to assume the role as a primary caregiver for them. However, many people do not realize the implication this will have on the other aspects of their lives including a spouse, children, career, friendships, etc. It is impossible to know if and when an elderly parent might have a chronic health condition, an injury, or accident that will require full-time caregiver support, but when it happens it will require a certain amount of life adjustment.
Caregiving Can Impact Your Life
When an elderly parent needs caregiving, it is difficult to say if caregiving will be needed for several weeks, months, years, or in permanence. Sometimes caregivers must take extended time away from work, or shift to a part-time position. This is an unaccounted factor in financial plans that many do not consider, as they work fewer hours or begin accumulating higher costs of health care for their loved ones.
Children especially begin to notice the strain when their parents have to spend more time with the elderly and less time with them. Also, couples have to make an adjustment since they need to reallocate a majority of their free time and money to their caregiving responsibilities.
What Can You Do?
Comfort Keepers know that Santa Clarita families are dedicated to caring for their elderly loved ones, but there is no reason to compromise any part of your life in the process of loving and caring for them. We have some suggestions to help you adjust and accommodate this change in your life.
- Don’t be afraid to seek in-home care for your loved one. Comfort Keepers are Santa Clarita’s most trusted in-home caregivers, giving you peace of mind when you are away from your loved one.
- Schedule rest and recovery time to avoid experiencing caregiver burnout. You can always have a sibling, spouse, neighbor, or a Comfort Keeper step in for a few hours to allow you some alone time to visit the spa, run errands, get a massage, and rejuvenate yourself after all the hard caregiving work you do.
- Don’t jeopardize your personal retirement and career plans when making a rushed decision to step into the caregiver role. While it is important to look after your loved ones, it is just as important to remember that you have your own family and spouse to look after. Often times you cannot just leave a job that pays the bills, provides health insurance, and a retirement fund for you.
There are many adjustments that families in Santa Clarita make when an elderly loved one requires full-time caregiving. It is a financial, emotional, and time-costly commitment that will impact an entire family’s life. There is no need to tackle these changes alone, so be sure to utilize Santa Clarita’s Comfort Keepers caregiving services when you have an elderly loved one with caregiver needs.
Comfort Keepers
23900 Lyons Avenue
Santa Clarita, CA 91321
661-287-4200
