Family caregiving is growing in the United States.
According to a recent Gallup poll, 7 out of 10 working Americans say they are actively caring for an elderly parent over the age of 75. An average of 13 days per month is spent on errands and day-to-day chores such as doing laundry, going shopping, and providing transportation. And a typical day finds caregivers dedicating a whopping 5 hours (that’s per-day!) on basic supervision and companionship.
All this help takes its toll in stress and strain for the caregiver. Caregiver burnout is certainly a great concern.
Just as parents of children are encouraged to hire babysitters to get out of the house for an evening, the same is suggested for those caring for senior family members. But how does one find skillful respite care? We suggest utilizing a quality home care agency for your family’s intermittent care needs.
The best home care agencies will evaluate your family’s requirements and provide an appropriate level of care. This can range anywhere from simple companionship and homemaking help to nursing care, such as administrating medication, dressing and bathing. A quality agency will also do the vetting of respite caregivers by way of a thorough criminal background check. A senior home care agency, as an employer of the caregiver, will take care of all the payroll taxes as required by law. And an agency’s Worker’s Compensation Insurance will cover any on-the-job injuries, should the need arise.
The role of senior family caregiver is a challenging one and, although it can provide a great deal of personal satisfaction, it can be overwhelming. Although it may cause some feelings of guilt or anxiety, the family caregiver should seek out help for their own well-being.
If you find yourself in the position of caring for an aging parent, you can begin your family’s needs evaluation with Caregiverlist’s Checklist: Choosing a Home Care Agency to see how you can give yourself a much-needed and well-deserved break by bringing in some respite assistance.senior care, respite care, Elderly Parent
