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Caring for a relative is something many people end up doing at one point or another. Sometimes it’s short-term, like helping someone out after surgery, but many times, it’s a long-term condition that can involve caring for multiple people. This is compound caregiving, and it can be a very difficult situation to find yourself in. Luckily there are ways to alleviate at least some stress that the caregiving can generate for the caregiver. That reduction in stress can help ensure the care you give your family is as good as it can be.

What Is Compound Caregiving?

Compound caregiving is when you have to care for multiple people at the same time. This isn’t the same as the regular caring you might do for two or more children who are just growing up. However, if you’re caring for a child and your elderly parent who needs help with daily tasks, that would be compound caregiving. For some compound caregivers, the caregiving is extremely long-term, such as when they have an adult child with disabilities and a permanently injured spouse to care for.

Compound caregiving is more time-consuming than non-caregivers can comprehend. And because people are living longer and having kids later, it’s becoming more common to find compound caregivers who are dealing with multiple generations of their family all needing their assistance.

What Effects Does It Have on the Caregiver?

Compound caregiving has similar effects on caregivers as non-compound caregiving does, but those effects are more intense. Compound caregivers may spend many more hours each week on caregiving tasks, and depending on who they’re caring for, they could also have to take on more household chores that someone in their care might normally do instead.

So, imagine having to spend much of your time caring for one person, and then double or triple that time. Add in work, care of the home, and outside tasks like shopping, and you can see that compound caregivers don’t have time to relax or get away from the caregiving duties. This can wear them down and lead to effects on their mental health. If you’re a compound caregiver and recognize yourself in that description, you’re not alone at all.

How Can Compound Caregivers Manage the Stress Involved?

Managing the stress involves some form of break. This can be through arranging for respite care every so often, and there are organizations in most major cities that can help there. (Doctors and medical centers may know of respite care organizations you can contact.) Another option is to share caregiving duties with a group of other caregivers. For example, someone who just ended caring for someone might give you a break and care for your dependents for a few hours, and you might help care for another caregiver’s dependents the next week. Home care in Chester County is one of the best ways to ensure that your compound caregiving doesn’t overwhelm you.

Yet another option is home care, where you have nurses and assistants drop by to help with care or with tasks in the home. They can ensure that you’re getting the support you need to provide proper care for your dependents. Some home care agencies also offer respite care.

With the help of a home care agency like Victory Home Care, you can ensure that your multiple dependents are well taken care of while you start to get more time to handle household issues and have time for yourself. Even if your compound caregiving is supposed to be for a limited time only, look for home care agencies in Delaware County that can help you out.

Aging in place is a major focus for older individuals who are trying to maintain their current way of life. One form of support that you should lean into to achieve this is home care. Let’s take a closer look at how home care can keep your loved ones active and why you should reach out for home care help when a loved one needs more support with their health and with their day-to-day tasks.

The Right Home Care Gives Your Loved One Confidence

When you’re elderly and living alone, you might avoid engaging in certain activities that could lead to a potential injury, preventing you from doing the things that you love doing. However, if you have a home care specialist, you know that you can do the things that you enjoy and someone will be there to watch over you and help you if anything goes wrong. Getting your loved one home care may give them the confidence they need to feel fully supported and secure as they go about their daily lives.

They’ll Have Someone There to Engage With Them in Their Favorite Activities

Living alone as a senior can be an isolating experience, especially if you don’t have a lot of friends in the community or groups that you go to where you’re able to meet like-minded people and engage with others your age. As a result, being stuck at home might mean spending the bulk of your time doing nothing at all or doing simple activities like watching TV. When you get your loved one home health care, they’ll likely enjoy the company and have someone that they can do activities with, whether that means going outside and gardening or even cleaning and organizing the home. Having someone younger around will certainly help keep them young.

Even When They Don’t Feel Like Doing Much, They’ll Be Encouraged to

Some older folks may not feel like spending a lot of time moving around, especially if it’s harder for them or they’re dealing with issues like chronic pain. When they’re living alone, this might keep them down, which can only exacerbate their current health issues and prevent them from living more of their lives. With a home health care specialist, they’ll be encouraged to move around a lot more. This ensures that they’re still at least getting some exercise daily so that they’re not leading a more sedentary lifestyle. This can be a major benefit for older folks and for the people getting them the home care support they need.

They’ll Have Someone to Help Them Navigate Their Home Space

The reality of aging in place is that your environment is going to play a major role in your overall safety. In the case of your loved one, they may have taken the steps to complete renovations that would allow them to navigate their space with greater ease (walk-in tubs, railings, etc.). That being said, they might still need help if they have mobility issues or are relatively new to all of these changes. Having someone providing home care means that they can feel safer and get the help they need navigating this environment until they’re more used to it, getting them up and moving instead of allowing them to avoid certain activities because they’re scared they won’t be able to do it. In-home health care in Chester County can deliver professional and compassionate assistance to helps clients adapt safely to their living spaces while keeping independence.

Give Your Loved Ones the Home Care They Deserve With Victory Home Care

Getting your loved one high-quality home care can help them stay more active and ensure that they’re safe as they age in their home. Are you looking for quality home care services in Philadelphia? Start here with Victory Home Care! Contact us today for more information.

Are you a primary caregiver? When you need a break, consider your options for respite care. You can use these services in your home, at facilities that offer overnight stays, or at adult daycare centers. They’re temporary and can last for a few hours up to a few days as needed. This article will cover how respite care in Doylestown can improve your quality of life as a caregiver, and the quality of care your loved one receives. 

Take the Time To Relax

If you’re always on the go caring for your family member, it can be taxing on your mental, emotional, and physical health. With respite care, you can have time to unwind and relax knowing that your loved one’s needs are being taken care of. If you don’t find the time to do this, it can lead to problems in your health, making you unable to care for your family members.

Spend Time With Others

Many caregivers feel isolated and alone. They spend a significant portion of their days caring for their loved ones and don’t interact with anyone else. Eventually, this can cause severe loneliness. Using respite care services will allow you to avoid this pitfall. You’ll have the time to go out with friends and catch up on everything you’ve missed. Maintaining personal relationships is essential; respite care will allow you to do this.

Reconnect With Yourself

When you spend all your time caring for someone else, it can be easy to lose sight of who you are. Using personal home care in Philadelphia can allow you to spend time doing the things you love. Whether you want to visit friends, go to the movies, or pick up a hobby, you’ll be free to do this knowing your loved one is well cared for.

Get a New Perspective

Sometimes, when you’re too close to a situation, you can’t see the whole picture. Caregiving is no exception. When you take a regular break with respite care, you can rearrange your perspective. Instead of thinking the situation is insurmountable, you can consider different options for moving forward. Taking a step back is sometimes the best solution to any problem.

Rely on Trustworthy Respite Care Services for Your Loved One

Victory Home Care provides exceptional respite care services to give caregivers the break they need. We provide the best service in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas. Our staff is enthusiastic and puts their all into the work they do. Don’t settle for less than the best when you’re ready to try respite care services. Visit our website or call (215) 695-5877 for more information.

Taking care of your loved one is an honor, and you may know that they’d do the same for you if they could. While family caretakers are often able to manage most of their loved one’s care needs independently in the beginning, there comes a point when you need to consider reaching out for assistance. If you begin to notice any of these signs, it may indicate that you and your loved one can benefit from in-home care.

You’re Experiencing the Signs of Burnout

Caregivers often jump into their new roles with all of their energy, and you might even enjoy being able to spend extra time with your loved one. Unfortunately, that sense of optimism can slowly fade over time. Caregiver burnout is especially common among caregivers who aren’t able to take frequent breaks or who lack help from other members of their family.

If you’ve noticed that you feel exhausted most of the day or dread having to do your chores, then you might be facing burnout. Arranging for in-home senior care in Bucks County gives you a chance to catch your breath. Plus, you’ll free up time to spend doing more enjoyable things with your loved one rather than worrying about tasks of daily life.

Your Loved One’s Condition Worsens

People living with chronic conditions tend to experience new and worsening symptoms over time. When you first started caring for your loved one, they might only have needed some help with housekeeping. Now, they may require personal hygiene care or other services that you can’t always provide.

Bringing in a professional caregiver provides you with caring support from someone who is familiar with providing care to seniors and other people with serious health conditions. An in-home caregiver can also help you with outside tasks, such as taking your loved one to some of their increasing medical appointments. 

You’ve Developed Your Own Health Challenges

As a caregiver, it is important to take care of your health, which is hard when you spend the bulk of your time caring for someone else. In some instances, your health challenges might be related to caregiving. For instance, you might be experiencing back or shoulder pain from lifting your loved one, and a professional Philadelphia caregiver can help relieve the strain.

Or, you might also have a chronic condition that makes it difficult to keep up with the housekeeping while also managing your and your loved one’s increasing health needs. With in-home care, you can ask a caregiver to take over the tasks that you find the hardest to do. Whether you need someone to help change the bed linens or watch your loved one while you go to the doctor, all you have to do is arrange for the service.

Connect With a Compassionate In-Home Caregiver

Is it impossible to deny that you could use some help caring for your loved one? We know just the right professional caregiver to provide your loved one with the services they need to enjoy the best possible quality of life. Reach out to our team today, and find a caregiver that is the perfect match for your family.

Many physicians and family members today are relying on seniors to take advantage of the latest technology to keep them safe. Most people are familiar with medical alert devices that allow someone to quickly call for help if they experience an emergency, but these devices can also do so much more. Exploring the benefits of wearing a medical alert device gives you some important talking points to cover with your senior loved one.

 Prevent Long-Term Complications From Medical Events

A simple fall at home could turn into a life-threatening event when seniors live alone and might not be discovered lying on the floor for days. Although a home health aide in Philadelphia can check in on your loved one daily, having a medical alert device serves as a form of backup during times when your loved one is alone. The device can also help a senior get emergency care as soon as possible after a stroke, which can help to promote better outcomes for their recovery. 

Monitor Critical Health Data

Many medical devices come with additional features that are also useful for seniors. If your loved one lives with a chronic health condition, then you might want to look for one that can monitor their blood pressure or body temperature. Depending upon the type of device, you can have the data sent to you or a physician. Or, it might sound an alarm if a vital sign falls outside the normal range. Either way, you’ll want to weigh the need for simplicity with the ability to receive more information when choosing which type of device is best for your loved one. 

Provide Peace of Mind For Family Members

Whether you live in another state or just a few streets away, caring for a senior loved one often involves a great deal of anxiety. When your loved one wears a medical device, you can set it up to notify you if they experience a concerning event. For instance, you can have the device send you an alert if a door opens in your house, which is beneficial if you live with a senior who has dementia.

Give Seniors More Confidence and Independence

After working hard their whole life, seniors deserve to enjoy their retirement years to their fullest ability. Sadly, some seniors stop doing things such as gardening outside out of the fear that they could fall while they are home alone. While your loved one may still need in-home care services in Montgomery County to help them run errands or manage their hygiene, wearing a medical device can help them feel less anxiety about stepping outside to check their mail or cook a meal when they are alone.

Take the Next Step to Keep Your Loved One Safe

Even the best medical alert device isn’t a substitute for one-on-one home health care. Could your loved one use some help with preparing healthy meals or managing their medication? Reach out to our home care agency today to connect with a compassionate and professional senior caregiver.

Getting older isn’t easy for most people and the thought of giving up any of their independence is a difficult situation to deal with. When it comes to your elderly parents or another aging loved one, it is difficult to try to talk with them about getting some help in their home to care for them properly. Read on for several tips that you can use if you need to talk to your aging parent or other relatives about home health care or other types of senior care.

Prepare Before the Conversation with Your Aging Loved One

It is in most people’s nature to fight for their independence and there is no difference with aging loved ones. Elderly parents do not want to become a burden to their children and they may be too proud to ask for help from strangers. You will need to initiate the conversation about senior care with your parents or other aging loved ones, so you need to be prepared ahead of time.

First of all, you should create a list of your concerns about your aging loved one. This can include the fact that you’re worried about their home being a safe enough environment for them with their current health issues and if they are having trouble with daily living, including dressing and grooming.

You should educate yourself about the different types of senior home care in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas. Many home care agencies can assist you in taking care of your parents properly. The home care specialists at Victory Home Care Agency, for example, are available to assist your loved one with a variety of tasks. Some of these include medication reminders, grocery shopping, grooming, bathing, housekeeping, and even grocery shopping.

Be Timely

You should have a conversation with your aging loved one as soon as possible. In other words, do not wait for a health crisis or tragic situation to occur before you broach the topic with them.

Talk Face to Face

You should talk to your loved one in person if at all possible, or at least through a video call. It is good to choose a time when your parent or other aging loved one is relaxed and well-rested.

Listen With Compassion

Listen closely to what your loved one has to say so that you will understand their concerns, objections, and anxieties about home health care.

You should show your aging parent or loved one empathy and compassion, but not sympathy. This is because older adults do not want anybody to feel sorry for them, so do not put off that kind of attitude. You need to have a kind and calm voice and demeanor during your conversation.

Be Patient

Do not be pushy or rush your aging loved one to make a decision right away. They may need more time to process the issue and may have certain requirements they want to put in place before starting home health care. Plan with them to have another conversation shortly.

Contact Us for High-Quality Senior Care

The home care specialists at Victory Home Care pride themselves on putting the needs and preferences of their clients as a priority. Our home health care can help your loved one with medication reminders, meal preparation, grocery shopping, errands, cleaning, laundry, bath, grooming, transportation to doctor appointments, and even making their environment safe and comfortable. Call us today for an appointment and be on your way to having the peace of mind of knowing your loved one is receiving high-quality care. We proudly extend our home health care in Jenkintown bringing compassion and personalized care right to your doorstep.