Making decisions about your elderly relatives’ course of life is never easy. While the decisions you make may be best for their health and well-being, we still can’t help but have feelings of guilt and worry. If there’s one emotion that nearly everyone who cares for seniors feels, it is guilt. In fact, it’s so common for people to feel this way that the phenomenon is now known as caregiver’s guilt. However, doctors and psychologists encourage you to keep things in perspective and consider the full impact of senior care.
Choosing to hire professional in-home care for your senior relative in Toluca Lake is commonly prompted by certain factors that can’t be overlooked. More often than not, the choice is prompted by decreased mobility, such as in the case of seniors who have suffered a stroke, diminished decision-making capabilities or loss of will and strength to perform certain day to day tasks without assistance.
As our loved ones age, the ability to eat, bathe, dress up and perform simple chores becomes more and more daunting. This loss of independence and ability often leads to feelings of vulnerability, helplessness and distress. Instead of feeling guilty that you have taken away your parent’s freedom, be proud that you’ve given them all the assistance they need to get about their day with ease. If you’re feeling worried and concerned that you didn’t do the right thing, here’s how to cope with caregiver’s guilt.
Identify the feeling and take time to grieve
The first step when coping with your guilt is to identify and accept what you are feeling. Once you recognize your feeling as caregiver’s guilt, you’re one step closer to easing it. You need to tell yourself that you aren’t responsible for your aging parents’ illnesses and conditions. It’s just the unpredictable, but normal part of aging. However, you also need to take some time and grieve your loved one’s deterioration properly. Being the primary caregiver for the elderly is a huge responsibility.
Remind yourself why you opted for in-home senior care
As with any other feelings of doubt or uncertainty, it’s of utmost importance to remind yourself why you made the tough decision.
Most people say they hired in-home care so their relative would have help with going about their day safely. From physical issues all the way to mental and memory problems, there are times when it’s better to get senior care rather than let your aging parents suffer alone. Whenever you feel pangs of guilt, just take the time to remember how much help and attention your aging loved ones are getting right now.
Consider the alternatives
To really put things into perspective and get rid of your guilty feelings once and for all, it’s important to look at your options. These mostly involve either bringing your aging parents to your family home or trying to be available for them in their own home. Both these options have implications and downsides. Ask yourself some of the following questions to see how well it would work out:
– Can you take time off work to care for your aging parents permanently? And if you can, can you really afford to be out of work for extended periods?
– If you plan to bring your parents home, can your kids and aging parents co-exist? How will each outcome affect your relationship with your spouse, children, and even the older relative?
– Aging parents usually require constant attention and medical care: will you be able to provide these comfortably?
– Lastly, will your aging parent be better off getting specialized attention or trying to keep up with a full house with noisy kids?
Final Word
Instead of feeling guilty for not doing the in-home care yourself, be happy that there are actually caring specialists that will give your aging parents more assistance and attention than you ever could, right there near you at Toluca Lake. Most often, the senior will end up really liking the caregiver, thinking of them more as a friend than a caregiver.