Family Caregivers: Your Love and Care

If you are caring for a loved one in their golden years, you know that often those years don’t feel so “golden” on a day-to-day basis. In fact, they can be very hard work! That’s were Respite Care Services can help.

The truth is, without your love and care, your elderly loved one’s quality of life might be quite different. An estimated 8 million Canadians do what you do by volunteering to provide ongoing care for loved ones or aging parents.

In this post, learn more about how to save and restore your own sanity while continuing to provide care to a loved one with age-related needs.

First Things First: Know Your Worth

Statistics Canada conservatively puts the economic value of volunteer care hours at $25-26 billion dollars per year. This is your worth at a strict dollars-and-cents level. But really, what you are offering your aging parents and loved ones is far more than your share of the billions. You are offering your personal investment in their well-being and comfort. You’re offering love and presence at what may just be the most difficult time in their whole life.

Walking with them through the physical, mental, and emotional challenges of chronic illness, aging and the issues that only arise at the end of life. This is the gift without price, and for good reason.

However, it is critical that you also become your own caregiver so the love and support you are offering to others won’t in time deplete you beyond recouping. This is where respite care services can give you the time and rest you need to keep doing what ONLY you can do for your loved one.

How Respite Care Services Work

A home care agency can step in to “be you” as needed so you can reconnect with yourself, rest and enjoy relief from the 24/7 task of caring for an elder.

Here at Helpers Care, we recommend incorporating respite care services into your regular schedule for these four main reasons:

Reason 1: So you have personal time.

New parents often say that, even with all the rewards that come from bringing a child into the world, sometimes they feel like they will go crazy without some regular adult conversation and fun times.

The same holds true when serving as a carer to an elderly loved one. Yes, they need you and yes it can be an all-consuming task to care for them. But you must give yourself personal time so you can regain perspective and fill back up from all the giving that you do. Having the help of a home care agency can help you fill back up while knowing your loved one is being cared for by qualified, trained and compassionate professionals.

Reason 2: So you won’t let your own life lapse.

You may aspire to return to school, add to your family, travel, take cooking classes, get in shape – whatever it is, these goals are part of your life and you deserve to be able to include them in your life!

Here, respite care services can help you find the hours to pursue these nourishing, energizing life goals that might otherwise fall by the wayside.

Reason 3: So you have a reliable support system in place.

It is one thing to ask the occasional favor of friends or other family members who are less familiar with your loved one’s care needs. But ask too often and you risk either radio silence from your personal network or inadequate care during an unplanned emergency.

Bringing in a home care agency can give you a reliable respite care support system that you can absolutely count on in any situation. The truth is, you never know what a day may bring or when an emergency may arise that you must attend to. In these cases, you need to be able to pick up the phone and call someone you can trust to stay with your loved one while you are away.

Reason 4: So you can take a “mental health day” as needed.

Finally, everyone needs a “mental health day” sometimes – just because, and no explanations required! Finding a home care agency you trust can give you the gift of these days when you need them most.

We encourage you to contact us by phone or email: 514.600.5050/support@HelpersCare.com. Ask any questions you have and explore what we can offer you or your loved one.

The Helpers Care Team