If your aging parents require care in order to stay safe and healthy, you may be worried about how to cope with the situation. Unless you have worked in the care industry, being in the know as to how to be a successful caregiver is a case of trial and error and can only be learned through experience, in regard to their needs. If you’re daunted by the prospect of becoming the main caregiver for your elderly relative, this guide should shed some light on the key steps that may need to be considered to help you through the process:
- Understand how much care is needed
When you have concluded that your elderly relative needs additional care, it can be difficult to know to what extent. If you have become overwhelmed with a long list of to-dos that you can’t keep on top of, it may be time you called in some extra assistance to take the pressure off your shoulders. Creating an organised list of the tasks that need to be completed will give you a better oversight as to how much help is needed and decide whether they would be best in full-time residential care or have a part-time carer.
- Share the responsibility
If you’d prefer to take care of your elderly relative without professional assistance, don’t feel obliged to take on the full responsibility, as this can be damaging to your own mental health and wellbeing. Ask close relatives if they’ll share the load with you and allow you to take much-needed breaks to concentrate on your own needs.
- Adapting the home
When people get to a certain age, they’d prefer not to be moved out of their home if they’re safe to stay put. As an alternative, you could consider making adaptions to their home for health and safety purposes and make it easier to complete their everyday tasks. It may be the case that your local authority will be able to step in and assess the property on your behalf; however, some of the most common modifications include having a wet room installed from the likes of bathrooms Hertford, fitting a stairlift, installing an outdoor ramp and lowering kitchen worktops.
- Understand the financial situation
If it turns out that your elderly relative requires professional care support, you need to be aware of their financial situation to make decisions for the long-term future. Without knowing the extent of their finances and gaining access to their funds, it may result in putting financial pressure on you and your family.
You’ll need to think carefully about the medical attention they require, including their living arrangements, equipment and home modifications to name just a few.
Once you have a clearer idea of their finances, you’ll have a better understanding of what they’ll be able to afford care-wise or if they need any financial support. However, cutting down costs where possible will limit the financial stress you may be faced with in the early stages.
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