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Individuals:

• Are you living with a disability or illness and finding it difficult to manage being on your own day after day?
• Are you dealing with the natural consequences of aging and feeling less able to complete daily tasks by yourself?
• Are you fearful of having an accident and no one is around to help you?
• Are you feeling lonely and in need of companionship?

If so, this can be a very frustrating and emotionally difficult time for you. Having to cope with the fact that your body is unable to do some of the things it could do before, and resigning to the fact that you might need some outside help – that’s a tough realization to come to.

It’s one thing when family members pitch in and help, but you don’t want to feel like a burden to them. Is hiring a caregiver the right thing to do?

Family Members:

Or perhaps you are a family caregiver. Perhaps you’ve been caring for a disabled, ill, or aging loved one and it has taken its toll on you physically and emotionally.

• Do you feel stressed out, constantly exhausted, or depressed?
• Are you unable to handle all the responsibilities in your life?
• Do you sometimes feel angry or resentful toward your loved one?
• Do you feel guilty when you do something just for “you”?

Some research estimates that anywhere between 40-70% of unpaid caregivers experience symptoms of clinical depression. So if you find yourself among them, you are not alone!

Whatever station of life you find yourself in, there are some tell-tale signs that it’s time to hire a caregiver. The great thing is, it doesn’t have to be a scary or sad thing. Hiring an in-home care provider doesn’t mean you are giving up your freedom or independence! On the contrary, having a warm, caring individual come into your home and help you with daily tasks such as housekeeping, self-care, eating healthy meals, taking medication, and providing companionship – will leave you feeling better, more confident, and more energetic!

Hiring a caregiver also doesn’t mean you’re giving up on your loved one. On the contrary, it will give you the time and space you need to rest, take care of yourself, your health, your family and other responsibilities, and come back refreshed and ready to spend quality time with your loved one!

Here are some of the tell-tale signs that it’s time to hire a caregiver for yourself or your loved one:

Individuals:

1. You are having trouble performing at-home tasks, such as doing laundry, or light housekeeping.
2. You are no longer able to drive safely.
3. You have trouble getting out of bed in the morning.
4. You fear slipping and falling in the shower.
5. You are forgetting to take your medication.
6. Your eating habits have declined.

In these situations, a home care provider can help. If you contact an agency like Canaan Home Care, you can trust that all caregivers have been background checked, screened, and tested; that they have all the necessary credentials to provide in-home care; and that they are warm, compassionate individuals whom you can trust to enter your home and care for you.

Family Caregivers:

1. Your family members and close friends tell you that you need a break.
2. You find yourself feeling resentful toward the loved one you are caring for – or others who need you.
3. You have let your own health take a back seat (eating healthy, exercise, adequate sleep)
4. You are experiencing symptoms of depression.
5. You can’t remember the last time you did something “just for you” – or when you did, you felt guilty about it.

You are a loving and selfless person, but in your quest to help your loved one, you have neglected yourself and are therefore not being the best caregiver you can be. Allow some qualified, trustworthy, caring individuals to come to your aid, so you can take care of other responsibilities in your life and come back to your loved one feeling refreshed and anxious to spend time with them.