Around the world, in every country, there are caregivers: men, women, grandparents, teens, sisters, brothers, spouses, and partners. There are doctors, nurses; health aids, social workers and hospice care workers. Yet each of us is alone. Every person’s story and situation is unique, and every caregiver triumphs and fails in their own way. The guilt can wear you down, and the lack of sleep drains your energy. The accusations of abuse or neglect can haunt us. As caregivers we clothe and feed them, bathe them, and cry with them. Some days we love them but don’t necessarily like them. We fight for them, and we need time away from them. It can be too easy to think you are alone in this, and in the immediate sense you might be, but there are versions of you struggling with similar things the world over.
Caring for Elderly Parents
In one woman’s story, Linda tells how she and her husband had already prepared for the time when they’d bring one or more of their parents into their own home to care for them. They knew it would be hard, but wanted to provide a loving and safe place for them. Caregiving isn’t like anything you can imagine until you’re doing it, and you can never really understand until you become a caregiver yourself. That’s why a lot of people benefit from talking to and hiring the help of elderly home care services. These trained professionals know exactly what you’re going through, and how to help your parent.
Linda and her husband had suspected that her father had Parkinson’s because of his behavior and that his older sister had died from it not too long ago. Her father now needed the use of a walker and couldn’t use the stairs anymore. He soon had swallowing problems and that meant a pureed and liquid-only diet. People could say they understood, but they could never really empathize unless they’d been there.
Informal Caregivers
There are elders around the world who need so much care, but only get one adult child to meet their needs, a single person as part of a worldwide army of caregivers, tending their senior loved ones on their own. Over 40 million Americans care for people who are ill, disabled or elderly. With numbers that high, and more people living longer, the number of elderly and then the number of caregivers, are just going to go up. If you are one of these 40 million, know that even when you seem alone, you’re never entirely on your own. There are online and local support groups for caregivers where other people will understand your situation. If you are feeling overwhelmed and fatigued, consider home care for the elderly.
If you have a loved one who could benefit from the help of elder care in Garden Oaks, TX contact the caregivers at At Your Side Home Care. We help seniors and their families with many levels of home care service. Call (832) 271-1600 for more information.
Our Certified Nurse Aides, 24-Hour Live-in Assistants and Home Health Aides are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We also provide the security and confidence of 24-hour Telephone Assistance, so fast, reliable help is always available when it's needed. To learn more about our homecare services see our homecare services page.
Different people need different levels of homecare. To meet the requirements of our clients, At Your Side Homecare maintains consistent staffing levels of caring professionals. Homecare service is available for as little as a few hours a week, or as many as 24 hours a day, seven days a week
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