Balancing Very Real Care Duties & Having A Life
Unless you are categorized as a full-time carer for someone you know or a relative, most of us will do this, alongside our other relatives or friends who can help, in our free time. Of course, while it can prevent us from chasing our hobbies, taking our free time for ourselves or resting as we may like, many people are selfless and choose to assist those in our personal lives in order to give them the most comfort possible.
Depending on the needs of the individual person being cared for, you may be entitled to further support. For those with given disabilities, for instance, assisted living can be an essential factor that may be mandated by a legal authority. That said, if not, it can be tough to figure out how to balance very real care duties and actually having your own life to live. It’s a tough balance to strike, and many people feel guilty when admitting they they need the latter consideration.
In this post, we’ll discuss how you can more easily lighten this load going forward:
Enlisting Help From The Family
Enlisting help from your family is important at a time like this. It’s important to express just how much work you’ve been putting into the care of your relative, which you’re happy to do of course, but being realistic about the job it entails will help others stop palming the work off onto you. It might be that other help you have access to, such as asking a friendly neighbor you trust to help with their grocery shopping, can free you up some time.
Installing Home Aids & Assistants
Installing home aids that help your relative live within their space more comfortably is an essential part of unlocking their ability, and preventing the need for you to help with every single activity. For instance, installing a walk-in shower and bath that they can remain seated in comfortably may help them shower with ease, rather than needing you to help them in and out every time. Simple considerations, such as handrails near the front door, may help them make it up the step more easily without needing to lean on you. While it’s important not to make this person feel like a burden, you’d be surprised just how helping them unlock some of their own autonomy will aid in their confidence and sense of wellbeing.
Utilize Professional Services
It’s good to utilize professional services to the degree we can, as they can make a tremendous difference in how well our relative is cared for, as well as giving us guidance for how to deal with the more pedestrian matters. An assisted living advisor can be worth their weight in gold, and may be able to help arrange separate services your relative may be entitled to. Knowing there’s a professional set of hands even more skilled and experienced than yours helping out can be a massive relief, and a big load from your shoulders.
With this advice, you’re certain to balance very real and difficult care duties with actually having time to live your own life on top of that.
