Elderly Parent Moving In With You? You Can Still Hire A Home Health Aide
When you're concerned about your elderly parent's ability to live independently but you don't want him or her in a nursing home, you might be evaluating having your parent live with your family. As long as you have ample room, having your parent relocate to your home can give your entire family more time together, which is something that will be valuable for everyone. You may be considering providing your parent with the care that he or she needs, but it's also worthwhile to think about hiring a home health aide who can visit your home and care for your parent. Here are some reasons to do so.
You Won't Get Burned Out
Caring for an elderly family member, especially if his or her needs are great, can be exhausting. You may find that you have a lot of energy to provide this care early on, but that it wanes over time. It's possible to get burned out as a result of caring for your elderly parent; you may chronically be stressed and exhausted, and this may impact your relationships with your immediate family and perhaps even your ability to concentrate at work. When you have a home health aide visit your home, you can focus on being a valuable family member to your parent, rather than a caregiver.
It Provides More Dignity For Your Parent
It's challenging for an elderly person to admit that he or she needs help with daily tasks, and your parent may feel shy or embarrassed if you're helping in certain ways. For example, if you have to help bathe your parent or help him or her off the toilet, your parent may feel as though some dignity is lost. When a health professional takes care of these tasks, your parent may retain a higher degree of dignity and feel less embarrassed.
The Care Will Be Superior
Even with your heart in the right place, the care you provide wouldn't be as good as that provided by a professional health aide. Whereas you may struggle with a variety of simple tasks related to caring for an elderly person, these things are all in a day's work for a health aide. At the end of the day, you want your loved one to receive the best care possible, and you shouldn't be afraid to admit that it's a health aide, rather than yourself, who will provide it.
