Families find bringing in professional caregivers for their senior loved ones has many benefits. Having someone help you with your loved one’s care gives you more opportunities to enjoy spending time together as a family. You may also prefer to have a home caregiver help with tasks you can’t get to each day, such as housekeeping or personal hygiene care. As with any new relationship, it helps to know how to make the transition to having someone else assist with your loved one’s care.
1. Define Everyone’s Responsibilities
Professional caregivers are trained to provide assistance with most of the activities of daily living your loved one needs to complete. However, they’re also sensitive to the fact that there are certain things families want their help with and others they’d rather do on their own. Create an outline of what you need the professional caregiver to accomplish. For instance, you may want the caregiver to focus on providing your loved one with cognitive stimulation to slow down memory loss while you manage other chores. Or you might prefer to do activities with your parent while the caregiver goes grocery shopping. Defining expectations can prevent misunderstandings.
Many seniors prefer aging in place over moving to assisted living facilities. If your senior loved one needs assistance to remain safe and comfortable while living at home, reach out to Home Care Assistance, a leading homecare services agency. Our dedicated in-home caregivers can assist with meal prep, bathing and grooming, exercise, medication reminders, and many other important tasks.
2. Establish a Shared Calendar System
Families often have multiple people who provide care for their loved ones. A shared calendar system helps you communicate with your loved one’s caregiver about important upcoming events. You can remind the caregiver your loved one has an upcoming health appointment, or you can jot down notes about a senior social event that’s coming up.
Whether you need respite from your caregiving duties or your aging loved one needs 24-hour care, Calgary, AB, Home Care Assistance can meet your family’s care needs. Our dedicated caregivers are available around the clock to provide transportation to doctor’s appointments, ensure seniors take their prescribed medications, and help with a variety of tasks in and outside the home.
3. Create a Personal Space for the Caregiver
A home caregiver understands your loved one’s home is his or her own, but it helps when caregivers have somewhere to put their things for safety purposes. For instance, the caregiver may need to store his or her day bag and car keys out of reach if your loved one has dementia and is at risk for wandering. Overnight caregivers may also need private spaces for sleeping. Making the caregiver comfortable means he or she can focus solely on helping with your loved one’s needs.
4. Choose a Method to Discuss Changes & Concerns
Care plans often change for seniors, and being able to communicate with a professional caregiver makes things easier for everyone. You can work with the caregiver to set up a time to talk, or you might want to exchange phone numbers for quick text updates. Setting up a more formal meeting may be helpful for establishing major changes in the plan for meeting your loved one’s needs.
5. Give Everyone Time to Get Comfortable
Over time, a professional caregiver begins to feel like a member of the family. Try to work with an agency that strives to provide a consistent caregiver your family can get to know over time. Once you find one, take the time to get to know each other. Providing some information about your loved one’s interests and dislikes also gives the new caregiver a starting point for beginning to form a close relationship.
If you’re the primary caregiver for a senior family member and are looking for professional senior care, Calgary Home Care Assistance should be your top choice. Our dedicated and compassionate caregivers are committed to helping older adults manage their health and enjoy a higher quality of life in the golden years. Call us at 403-301-3777 today to talk to one of our compassionate Care Managers about our high-quality home care services.