4 Signs It’s Time to Hire A Private Duty Caregiver
Experiencing Caregiver Burnout?
Caring for the daily necessities of a loved one can be significant evidence of love and devotion to loved ones, especially so if you are a primary caregiver for aging parents. However, caregiver burnout is a real thing, and it may be a sign that it is time to hire additional help. A private duty caregiver may be just what you need!
Notice what AARP says regarding how caregiver burnout affects people:
“Thirty-six percent of family caregivers characterize their situation as highly stressful, according to the “Caregiving in the U.S. 2020” report from AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving (NAC).”
It may be good from time to time to assess your circumstances to see if you are stretching yourself too thin and need to hire a private duty caretaker.
Have you ever heard of compassion fatigue?
Wikipedia describes it as “a condition characterized by emotional and physical exhaustion leading to a diminished ability to empathize or feel compassion for others, often described as the negative cost of caring. It is sometimes referred to as secondary traumatic stress.”
Considering your loved ones’ needs and limitations will also help you determine when in-home care may be needed.
When it’s Time to Hire a Caregiver
1. Caring for a Loved One Is a Full-Time Job
If you are raising a family, working full-time, and providing senior care for a loved one, chances are something is going to suffer.
Now, of course, it depends on how much time and attention your loved one needs, but if much care is needed, you may be juggling too much. Often it is the tasks of daily living your loved ones cannot handle that can be a trigger that more help is needed.
If your loved one needs assistance with dressing and grooming, medication reminders, or mobility, it may be good to ask for a helping hand in having someone provide home care services for you.
Often, family and friends are more than happy to help out, but you may also want to consider respite care.
FYI: Respite care assists primary caregivers so they can take a break. Assistance can be given in the loved ones’ home, an assisted living facility or nursing facility.
2. Potential Hazards in the Home
Be observant of how your loved one moves around their home. Do they drag their feet or lose their balance at times? If you notice these small things, it could be a risk of them falling.
If there are stairs in the home, this may also be a concern, and having someone there to lend a hand will help prevent your loved one from falling.
3. Your Loved One Needs Specialized Care
Sometimes the assistance that our loved one needs is just far more than what we can give them, and we want our loved one to have the best quality of life. Certain medical conditions such as Alzheimer’s and (Dementia) care can be very hard on a caregiver.
Alliance Medical & Homecare does extensive training to teach our caregivers how to work with seniors’ mid-stage and mid-late stage Alzheimer’s.
4. A Need for Social Interaction
Is your loved one lonely? Do you notice any signs of depression? These are questions you want to consider to determine whether it would be beneficial to have someone there just for companionship.
Where to Find a Private Duty Caregiver
Alliance Caregivers are thoroughly screened, bonded, insured, and covered by Worker’s Compensation insurance. We offer a wide range of in-home care duties customized for each individual client.
The caregiver services we assist with are:
- Personal Care
- Mobility
- Meal preparation
- Toileting
- Incontinence
- Transportation
- Medication Reminders
- Respite
- Companion care
Contact us today to arrange a meeting in your home with our Representative to discuss and evaluate your needs so we can find the right private duty caregiver for you!
