Deciding to let your loved one be taken care of at home is a challenge. Not only is it hard to find a reliable, trustworthy, professional caregiver but major changes should also be done in your house itself to make it a conducive place for home care. Taking care of seniors is also a bit similar to taking care of children. The house should be a place that will not compromise their safety and should also be accident-proof as well. So before taking your seniors home make sure that all the areas in the house designated for their use are all checked and modified for their safety.
If you are caring for a senior parent with a lot of needs, you need to take breaks. One way to do it is through respite care. Respite care involves a person coming out and spending time with the senior in question. It is not so much care as it is the opportunity to socialize with someone. At the same time, it provides you and your family with some time to yourself. Even a few hours of time can make a world of difference in your stress and frustration levels.
The last thing you need when entrusting your loved ones to elder care services is a company that takes a "one size fits all" approach to providing in home care. We all know that every individual circumstance is a bit different, and the senior care agency you deal with needs to understand that as well. Look for an agency that is willing to customize their programs and services to fit the individual needs of your family.
There is a case to be made for taking control of our own destiny, at least to some degree. One should have a good more info pension first of all in order to have a means to make a contribution to being taken care of. Whatever happens to us in our later years we will end up in a nursing home, being cared for by loved ones or using some kind of home care system? The point is they all cost money and we should have something in our personal assets to help pay for our care.
Get some time off. Remember this is a job and you need a vacation. Even if it is only a long week end there are many home care agencies who can supply you with experienced care givers to give you needed respite.
It is a stressful job. It's often a 10 hr/day, 7 day/wk job, if not 24/7, without breaks, days off, vacations, or even pay. It is one that involves chef and shopper, chauffeur, self-care manager, social events and appointment scheduler, bath aide, nursing attendant, laundress, companion, financial manager, and.... Then mom complains because you don't do right. And that's just your job with her. What about your own life?
A lot of patience is going to go into Alzheimer's care and you should be ready for the stress that can come with it. As the disease progresses you may want to look into long term care or a senior caregiver who can help you with some of the tasks. You don't have to take on all the responsibility alone!