The Challenges of Family Caregiving: When Professional Assistance Is Essential

As a family caregiver, it can be difficult to admit when you need help from outside. You want to give back to your aging parent, caring for your loved one as he or she once did for you. However, even as a dedicated and loving family member, you may also have a sinking feeling that caring for your loved one has become more than you can handle on your own. Signs you may need professional help include but are not limited to the following. 

Physical Pain & Injury

This one is perhaps the most obvious. Once you’ve strained your back while giving a bath or changing your loved one’s linens after lifting him or her, there’s no question you need help because you can no longer perform these routine care activities on your own. If you don’t know when not to play the hero, you may find yourself in someone else’s care as well.

If you’re the primary family caregiver for an elderly loved one and need additional assistance providing high-quality home care service, Assisting Hands Home Care Las Vegas can help. We are a leading Home Care Las Vegas agency committed to helping seniors live longer and healthier lives.

Changes in Sleep Patterns

We sometimes fail to associate changes in sleep patterns with the burden of caregiving because of today’s fast pace of life. As a result, insomnia or sleeping excessively can manifest at times when we’re not occupied with care responsibilities, and these changes are often blamed on other issues. If you find yourself falling asleep at unusual times or in unusual situations, or if you’re unable to sleep throughout the night because of constant worry, it’s time to take stock of just how much you’ve taken on as a caregiver and what might reasonably be delegated to a professional caregiver.

Although it may be challenging to find reliable, highly rated in-home care, Las Vegas, NV, families can turn to Assisting Hands Home Care. Our caregivers are expertly trained to assist seniors with a wide array of important tasks, including cooking, bathing, light housekeeping, and exercise.

Emotional Instability

Facing the prospect of a loved one’s decreasing health understandably causes caregivers and other family members to become distraught at times. But increased irritability, lashing out, or crying over minor day-to-day crises may be a sign of burnout. Be honest with yourself about the toll the responsibility may be taking on your emotional health and your relationships with others.

Above all, family caregivers need to realize they can only care for others as successfully as they care for themselves. There’s a reason airplane flight crews always instruct passengers to place their oxygen masks over their own faces before assisting other passengers. Likewise, it’s of paramount importance to acknowledge and seek any help you may need to do the best possible job as a caregiver and assure the best possible outcome for your loved one. 

Family caregivers need to care for their own wellbeing. If you’re caring for an aging loved one and are feeling overwhelmed, consider hiring a professional caregiver to provide respite care. Las Vegas families who want to prevent burnout can turn to Assisting Hands Home Care. One of our professional caregivers can assist your loved one at home while you take a nap, go to work, run errands, or go on vacation. To learn about our high-quality in-home care services, give us a call at 702-919-0231 today.