Helping your senior loved one is just part of being a good person and honouring your relationship. While you might not mind doing what you can to make your loved one’s life better, you may reach a point where you wonder if you’re doing the right thing. Helping could turn into enabling when you start to do too much, and this allows your loved one to stop progressing. In the worst-case scenario, enabling can even lead to health issues. Taking these actions can help you find the right balance between assisting your loved one and doing everything for him or her.
Learn What’s Normal for Your Loved One’s Condition
Certain health conditions are challenging to handle, and it’s possible for your loved one to simply give up and rely on you to handle all of his or her needs. Talking to a doctor can give you perspective regarding when you should urge your loved one to do more and when you should step in. For example, arthritis tends to be more painful in the morning, which might make your loved one refuse to get up and move. However, doing some gentle movements can loosen up the joints. Knowing it’s beneficial to encourage your loved one to do some walking around makes it easier to be firm about the need to stay active.
Seniors can face a variety of challenges as they age, many of which can be mitigated with the help of professional in-home caregivers who provide high-quality senior home care. Trust Home Care Assistance to help your elderly loved one age in place safely and comfortably.
Encourage Your Loved One to Try Assistive Devices
One of the most effective ways to make sure you’re not enabling is to see if your loved one tries to do things independently. Offer your loved one a walker to see if he or she is more likely to move around without help. Or you could try moving dishes to a more accessible shelf to see if your parent helps you put things away. Seniors who are willing to try using dressing aids and other types of strategies for independence are more likely to ask for help only when they really need it.
Find Ways to Address Your Emotional Health
Some people are more vulnerable to becoming enablers. You might feel guilty about not being there for certain parts of your relationship, or you may just have a caregiver personality. If you feel bad about telling your loved one no when he or she constantly asks you to do things you know he or she could do, reach out to a counselor. Caregiving should make you feel good. Feeling resentful or guilty is a sign you need to find out if becoming an enabler is causing you to feel this way.
Watch Out for Addictive Behaviours
Enabling also tends to occur when a senior is misusing substances. If you’re concerned about your loved one’s drinking, smoking, or drug use, you may be apprehensive about being asked to purchase his or her cigarettes or liquor. Seniors who are facing financial difficulties may also ask you for money to buy alcohol or tobacco products. This is one area where you’ll want to work with the doctor to draw the line. Suggesting a treatment program is the first step toward ending this problem.
Families who find it difficult to care for their aging loved ones without assistance can benefit greatly from professional respite care. Barrie, Ontario, family caregivers who need a break from their caregiving duties can turn to Home Care Assistance. Using our proprietary Balanced Care Method, our respite caregivers can encourage your loved one to eat well, exercise regularly, get plenty of mental and social stimulation, and focus on other lifestyle factors that promote longevity.
Consider the Need to Distance Yourself from Certain Duties
Your loved one may make excessive demands of you out of the need for attention or as a function of the roles you’ve developed over the years. In this case, hiring a professional caregiver can make creating distance a good thing. Your loved one is less likely to take advantage of someone trained in senior care, and you’ll be able to give your parent the attention he or she needs in the form of spending time together doing enjoyable activities.
A professional home caregiver can be a fantastic source of support for both you and your loved one. Barrie in-home care professionals can be a wonderful boon to seniors. Whether they require around-the-clock supervision or just need assistance with exercise and household tasks a few days a week, seniors can enjoy a higher quality of life with the help of trusted in-home caregivers. Trust your loved one’s care to the professionals at Home Care Assistance. To create a customized home care plan for your loved one, call 647-970-3803 today.