As your mom’s family caregiver, you find it gets tiring. Day in and day out, you’re with your mom because she can’t be alone. As the stages of dementia progress, you’re having a much harder time being her only caregiver. Have you looked into having senior home care services for the breaks you need?
Personal Care Provided by Senior Home Care Aides
One area where senior home care aides help family caregivers is by providing help with personal care. Your mom may not be comfortable having your help in the shower or bath. It’s often less humiliating for her if she has a trained professional helping with more intimate tasks like bathing, toileting, and skincare.
You can hire personal care aides to help your mom with brushing and flossing, cleaning up after using the toilet, and getting dried and dressed after taking a shower. She’ll still have to rely on someone else, but she doesn’t have to feel embarrassed that you’re the one helping her.
With personal care services, your mom has someone to help her dry off, apply skin cream to all of her body, and trim her nails. If she needs help choosing clothes, her caregiver is there. She also has a caregiver available to apply lip balm to her lips if they’re dry.
Companion Care
Companion care services are another area where you may need a break. You want a day off, but your mom needs someone to make her meals and snacks, do the dishes, feed the pets, let the dog out, and do the laundry. When all of that is going on, how could you possibly take a break?
Senior home care aides can take over. They can cook meals and clean up after your mom eats. They can help her take the dog for a walk, and feed the pets when they get back. Your mom has someone for company, so she won’t be lonely or feel isolated while you’re away.
Your mom cannot drive anymore. You’re still able to go away and take a day (or several) off because her caregiver can take her shopping, make sure she gets to any appointments on time, and bring her back home.
If your mom has a hard time remembering what her doctor tells her, her caregiver can take notes when she’s talking to her doctor. You’ll get updates if the doctor recommends any medication or lifestyle changes.
Call and ask our senior home care advisor about respite care services. It’s important for family caregivers to take breaks and focus on self-care each week. While you’re stepping away for as long as you need, your mom has the help of a home care aide. It’s beneficial to you both so book services today.
