Millions of adults provide care for an elderly or disabled parent, grandparent, or other loved one. This care may range from helping out around the house or providing transportation to assisting with some or most of their daily living needs.
Whether you are currently providing elder care or may need to at a future date, keep these tips in mind:
- Be respectful. It may be hard for an elderly or disabled loved one to ask for help or admit that they will have to change how they live. Take a collaborative approach to care decisions when possible. Let your loved one have the final say so long as it doesn’t compromise safety or quality of care.
- Access helpful resources. A variety of resources are available to assist the elderly and people with disabilities.
- Keep a log. If you are providing a higher level of care, it may be helpful to track appointments, medications, and legal and financial details in one place. That way, you have everything you need at your fingertips.
- Ask for help. Share responsibilities with other family members and access resources for providing respite care as needed. Trying to take on too much is stressful and could lead to mental and physical health issues that impair your ability to provide care.
- Maintain your own health. Caring for someone with age-related health and mobility issues is a lot of work. Set aside a few hours a week to rest, regroup, and tend to your own emotional and physical needs.
Source: The StayWell Company, LLC
