In a perfect world, you’d be able to ask your other family members for help taking care of your elderly loved one and you’d get exactly what you need. Unfortunately, it’s way more complicated than that.
Invite Them to a Support Group Meeting with You
Attending a caregiver support group meeting can be eye opening for your loved one’s other family members. It doesn’t take a lot of time out of their day, but it can allow them to meet and to interact with other family caregivers. That alone can help them to understand that there are a lot of other people out there in the same situation you’re in.
Hold Regular Family Meetings
Regular family meetings allow your loved one’s other family members to have a regular update about your loved one’s health and how you’re helping her. At each meeting, they can see exactly what you’ve been dealing with and can gain an understanding of what you need in the way of assistance. Some family members need to see the progress over time in order to truly understand what is going on.
Describe a Day in Your Life
For some family members, a meeting a few times a month isn’t enough for them to understand fully. Take the time to make some notes about a typical day in your life. You might want to do this for two or three different days, especially if there are variables that make a particular day more difficult. Describe these days in detail for your family members or put them in writing. That type of description can sometimes clue in family members who aren’t understanding how much you do.
Take Matters into Your Own Hands
For some family members, no matter how much information you share, they still don’t understand why you need more help. Or they may not be in a position to help you in the way that you need. That doesn’t mean that you’re doomed to go it alone. Hire home care providers and seek out local agencies that can help you in other ways. You can still get the help that you need, it just might come from a different source than you expected.
No matter what, remember that what you’re doing is incredibly valuable to your elderly loved one, even if your other family members never quite understand that fact.
If you or an aging loved one are considering home care in Huntington Beach, CA, please contact the caring staff at Canaan Home Care today! 1-844-CANAAN-1 (1-844-226-2261)
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