What’s the True Impact of Private Home Care on Family Caregivers in Canada?

Private home care services from Senior Home Care by Angels can give family caregivers peace of mind

Are you caring for a senior loved one who is living with age-related challenges? You’re not alone. According to Statistics Canada, “about 8.1 million Canadians are providing private home care for an aging or disabled loved one." Unfortunately, family members who are providing care for elderly family members rarely have the support they need to maintain their own health and well-being. That’s why it’s crucial for family caregivers to have access to reliable, high-quality professional senior care services.

Senior Home Care by Angels promotes the well-being of family caregivers by giving them respite from their duties—a well-deserved break from worry and caretaking to focus on their own self-care.

Physical, Mental, and Emotional Demands of Providing Senior Care

Caring for a senior loved one can be demanding in many ways. For example, if your loved one requires assistance getting out of bed, bathing, or with general mobility, you may feel physically exhausted. Rather than cooking yourself a healthy meal, getting some exercise, or socializing with friends, you may not have the energy for the activities you once enjoyed.

Providing in-home senior care is also mentally exhausting, especially for those helping a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or a memory disorder. It’s your responsibility to ensure they’re keeping up with their medication and attending doctor’s appointments or therapies. You must also keep them mentally stimulated and engaged in conversation and activity. Feeling obligated to be “on” all the time can leave you feeling burned out.

Finally, family caregivers deal with a range of emotions when assisting with age-related challenges. Although you may wish to focus on making memories and spending precious time with your loved one, it’s nearly impossible to preserve the relationship you once had while managing their care needs.

For example, it’s easy to become frustrated or angry when your loved one refuses care or pushes back when you offer help. After all, they may not be ready to reverse roles. It can be heart wrenching to see them struggle with daily tasks that once came easily.

How Does Senior Home Care by Angels Helps Family Caregivers?

Professional private home care can ease caring for a loved one. You make the decisions—which tasks the care provider should handle and how often you want them to visit. You can continue with some caregiving tasks or simply focus on your role as the caring son, daughter, or grandchild.

At Senior Home Care by Angels, our senior care experts can offer any level of assistance required to help your loved one age in place. We can arrange transportation to doctor’s appointments, medication reminders, mobility assistance, and dignified personal care. Care can be temporary, while you’re on vacation, or more long term. Build a flexible plan based on your routines and schedules, considering your work and social life.

When to Reach Out for Private Home Care Services

It’s never too early to get started with professional private home care providers from Senior Home Care by Angels. Even if your loved one’s needs are manageable now, they could change without warning. If you gradually familiarize your loved one with their care provider, the transition to professional in-home senior care will be easier for everyone.

If these symptoms are familiar and frequent, it may be time to consider private home care services:

• Feeling overwhelmed, worried, or anxious
• Feeling tired or exhausted
• Sleep disturbances
• Significant weight changes
• Frequent headaches or body aches
• Loss of interest in enjoyable activities

If you're interested in more information about how Senior Home Care by Angels can help your loved one, contact us today.