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Caring for a Loved One at Home: Considerations and Advice for Families
OMAHA, Nebraska — The strain of providing care for an elderly loved one is an everyday reality for the estimated 25 percent of American families who find themselves in this position. According to the United States Administration on Aging, these family or informal caregivers provide more than $250 billion in care for free each year, and a significant portion of these providers do so on a continuous basis.
“Families take on the role of informal caregiving for a variety of reasons, which can include financial, cultural and emotional considerations,” said Allen Hager, Founder of Right at Home. “While informal caregiving may seem to be a great idea, families need to have a plan in place to avoid the pitfalls and burnout that are common to people in this position. Many informal caregivers tend to ignore or put aside their own needs, which can be detrimental to themselves and the senior.”
According to Hager, family caregivers are often reluctant to seek assistance and make time for themselves, and nearly half of family caregivers don’t take advantage of outside assistance in the form of public or private senior services and agencies. “One of the most important things a family caregiver can do is ensure they can have time to themselves when they need it,” said Hager. “A few hours per week of ‘down time’ can make a world of difference, even if it’s just to have someone else come in and take care of the cooking or cleaning while you sit there with a good book or go for a walk around the neighborhood.”
In addition to making time for themselves, Hager recommends several other tips to help caregivers manage and balance their responsibilities. These include:
- Monitoring their health. Stress and inadequate sleep can take a negative toll on a caregiver’s physical and mental wellbeing.
- Staying connected to others. Providing care for someone at home can lead to a sense of isolation. Attend caregiver support group meetings, see a counselor or make a point of scheduling time out of the house with a friend.
- Taking some time off. Summer offers the perfect opportunity to go on vacation and recharge your batteries. Claim a week or two for yourself, and enlist the assistance of another family member or respite care to watch over your loved one so that you can come back refreshed.
- Not being afraid to seek or accept assistance. There are many free or economical public and private services for families seeking a respite from providing continuous care.
“Making the choice to provide informal care is a brave and difficult decision for many American families, but they don’t have to go it alone,” said Hager. “There are ample resources available in many communities to guide and assist these families who undertake the task of providing care to a senior friend or family member.”
Right at Home offers in-home supportive care and assistance to seniors and other adults to help them continue to live independently. Right at Home directly employs all direct care provider staff, is bonded and insured, and carefully pre-screens all caregivers prior to their entering a client’s home. All ongoing care is monitored and supervised by local independent owners. Some offices provide medical home healthcare, as well. Right at Home’s home office is based in Omaha, Neb., with franchise offices throughout the United States. For more information on Right at Home, visit the company’s Web site at www.rightathome.net.
Editor's Note: Right at Home franchise Allen Hager is available for interviews.
Please call (402) 697-7537 to schedule an interview.
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