One of the toughest lessons for family caregivers to learn is often how to ask other people for more help. Lots of family caregivers realize later on in their caregiving journey that they did too much on their own and for too long. Taking time for themselves and learning to delegate are important skills for family caregivers to master. Respite care is a step in the right direction in learning how to accomplish both of those goals.
Look for Small Ways to Get Help
Baby steps make difficult tasks easier and asking for help is definitely a difficult task. Looking for small ways to ask for help can be a way to learn this skill. For instance, asking a family member to shop for groceries might feel like a big ask. But asking someone to pick up a prescription through the pharmacy’s drive-through window can feel like a smaller request.
Build Trust Around Help
Asking for help is a vulnerable situation. That’s a big reason that it’s so uncomfortable for a lot of people, especially family caregivers. They don’t want to be a bother or a burden to anyone else, even when they need help. It takes time and trust to be able to effectively and consistently ask for help. Home care providers can be an easier way for family caregivers to start trusting that help is available when they need it.
Schedule Respite Time Consistently
Taking time away on a regular basis is an important step as family caregivers get more serious about learning to ask for help. That’s because it pairs the vulnerability of asking for help with taking time for themselves and stepping away for a bit. Consistent respite time helps to build trust in the process and it also has benefits as family caregivers let go of some of their stress.
Make Respite a Non-negotiable Appointment
The thing about respite time is that if it’s not a non-negotiable appointment, family caregivers find that it’s easy to cancel it. Respite time works better for everyone involved if it happens regularly on a recurring basis. Family caregivers might consider doing something like scheduling an actual appointment during those times at first, so that they have somewhere that they specifically need to be. As they become more accustomed to letting respite care providers take over for a bit, they might be able to have less of a planned experience for that respite time.
Keep Trying
It really isn’t easy to ask for help, especially for family caregivers who have been doing things on their own for a while. The key is to keep trying, though. If they give up when asking for help is still really difficult, they’re going to lose ground. Stick with it and keep trying to ask for and receive help. Over time it will get easier.
It’s so important for family caregivers to be honest with themselves about what they need. There is no shame at all in needing a break or time away from caregiving duties. Respite care can be there to step in and offer that assistance, helping family caregivers experience positive responses to their requests for help.
If you or an aging loved one are considering respite care in Sugar Land, TX for an aging loved one, please call the caring staff at At Your Side Home Care. We will answer all of your senior care questions. Call today: (832) 271-1600.
At Your Side Home Care, provides exceptional home care assistance for seniors and families in Houston, West Houston, Katy, Memorial, The Heights, Spring Valley, Garden Oaks, Hunters Creek, River Oaks, Hilshire Village, Galleria, Cinco Ranch, Spring Branch, Sugar Land, Missouri City, Richmond, Rosenburg, Piney Point, Bay City and surrounding areas.
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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