Every five years, AARP partners with the National Alliance for Caregiving to take a closer look at unpaid care. The 2020 survey found that 18 percent of family caregivers are impacted by physical pain due to their caregiving duties. Thirty-seven percent are affected by emotional stress.
Your emotional and physical issues can limit your ability to provide the best care for your parents. If there are tasks you are not able to handle, you have to consider your limitations. Forcing yourself to do things can impact your well-being. These are the questions you need to ask yourself.
How Much Weight Can You Support?
If you’re going to be lifting your parent, you need to be able to support their weight. Your dad is 100 pounds heavier than you are and requires you to lift him out of the bathtub. It’s going to strain your back if you’re not able to lift that kind of weight.
Some devices can help you move him around, but it still takes upper body strength. You need to be sure you can safely lift your mom or dad without injuring yourself.
How Is Your Health?
After the age of 55, an average of three out of four people has one of six chronic condition. Almost half have two chronic health conditions, and about one out of five have three or more. Have you been diagnosed with any health issues?
If you have a chronic health condition like asthma, diabetes, or arthritis, you have to care for yourself. That’s a priority. Your parents may need your help, but you can’t ignore your health concerns in the process.
You also need to consider your mental and emotional well-being. If you experience chronic stress, it can make it hard to assist your parents effectively. The thought of helping your parent with toileting has you dreading getting out of bed and going to their home. It’s not healthy. It’s time to consider your other options.
So, What Do You Do?
How do you find the right balance? You want to help your mom and dad, but you can’t ignore self-care and personal situations. Home care assistance is an excellent way to balance your parents’ care needs with your schedule and abilities.
You’re free to help them in the ways that you’re able to, but they’re not left to struggle with everything else. They have caregivers to help them with other tasks. Call a home care assistance specialist to get started.
Sources:
https://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/ppi/2020/05/full-report-caregiving-in-the-united-states.doi.10.26419-2Fppi.00103.001.pdf
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/health_policy/adult_chronic_conditions.htm
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