Dementia affects millions of families across the United States. Many family members opt to care for their senior loved ones themselves rather than placing their parents in care facilities. While caregiving is a rewarding job, it can have moments of loneliness and isolation as you give up other activities and time with friends to help your loved one. Caring for yourself and preventing isolation and loneliness can make caregiving easier.
1. Consider Respite Care
If you regularly care for your loved one, it’s important to take a break from your caregiving duties at times. Local home care agencies and support services offer respite care, which allows you to take some time off for yourself while ensuring your loved one is safe. If it’s not possible to hire someone to care for your loved one, consider reaching out to family and friends for help.
Caring for a senior with dementia can be challenging for family caregivers. Luckily, there is dementia care Tucson families can rely on. Professional dementia caregivers help seniors with dementia stay safe and comfortable at home by preventing wandering, providing cognitive stimulation, and assisting with household chores.
2. Focus on Self-Care
It can be difficult to care for someone else when you’re exhausted. Take the time to care for yourself and do the things you love, such as exercising or jogging on weekends with a friend. It’s also important to eat healthy meals, get plenty of rest, and keep up with your own doctor’s appointments. Caring for yourself can help you be at your best when caring for your loved one.
3. Build a Support Group
It may be difficult for your friends and family members to understand what you’re going through. Building a support group with other dementia caregivers can help you feel connected and supported as you care for your loved one. Support groups can also be valuable resources for questions and concerns you may have about your situation.
4. Use Downtime to Your Advantage
Even if you care for your loved one every day, you may be able to get a little bit of downtime. Use downtime to your advantage to reach out to others. Answer emails, call family or friends, or play a game online. Taking just small amounts of time during the day to talk with others can help you feel connected.
Consider hiring a professional caregiver if you need some time off from your caregiving duties or assistance caring for your loved one. Families who need help caring for senior loved ones can turn to Home Care Assistance, a leading provider of elder care. Services available in our customizable care plans include meal prep, mental and social stimulation, assistance with personal hygiene tasks, and much more.
5. Allow Yourself to Feel
Many caregivers carry feelings of guilt about the loneliness and frustration that sometimes accompany caring for a loved one with dementia. These negative emotions can make caregivers feel further isolated, as they don’t want others to know their true feelings. It’s important to allow yourself to have these feelings. Tell yourself it’s okay to feel what you’re feeling. Talk about it with your support group and don’t hold it in. Suppressing your feelings can make isolation worse and lead to depression.
Dementia is a serious health concern that could make it difficult for your loved one to manage daily tasks and for you to provide high-quality care. If your senior loved one needs help managing an illness or assistance with daily tasks, make sure you choose a top-rated provider of home care service. Tucson Home Care Assistance is here to help your loved one live a happier and healthier life in the golden years. From the mentally stimulating activities in our Cognitive Therapeutics Method to our friendly Care Managers who are available to answer your questions 24 hours a day, we offer a wide array of high-quality at-home care services. To schedule a free in-home consultation, give us a call at (520) 276-6555 today.