More than 50 million Americans are involved in some form of helping elderly family members or friends with their daily routines, according to the Administration on Aging.
If you’re part of this group, whether you call yourself a caregiver, or simply a good daughter or son, you know that caring for an aging parent or friend has its rewards and its trials. In a national survey, many caregivers said they viewed their role positively, while acknowledging that it affected their family, work, leisure time, personal finances and, in some cases, physical and mental health.
If you are a caregiver, or expect to be one someday, the following are tips to help you cope.
Prepare for care
Have a frank conversation with your loved ones about caregiving plans while they are still able to manage aspects of their daily lives. If you are an adult child caring for a parent, ask the sibling who is most comfortable with the parent to discuss the subject with him or her. If you’re caring for a spouse, initiate the topic by talking about the type of care you’d prefer for yourself (for example, an assisted living apartment). Don’t assume that the method of care you want is also what your loved one wants.
Find a geriatric care manager
Care managers help families devise strategies to meet an older loved one’s caregiving needs. You can find one through the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers. The organization’s website is at caremanager.org. Locally, you can call area agencies for referrals. Look in the phone book under “older adults” or “senior citizens.”
Allocate responsibilities
Caregivers need to delegate specific responsibilities to others. Establish a schedule and say, for example, “On Sunday, you can take Mom to church; on Monday, you can drive her to the store,” and so forth.
Try to keep a balance in your life
A burned-out caregiver isn’t much help to anyone. Try to get enough sleep; exhaustion is a common complaint among caregivers. Get regular exercise; exercise helps relieve stress, gives you a break from caregiving responsibilities and keeps depression at bay.