Providing care for an aging loved one can be demanding. It requires you to juggle many different responsibilities, which may include professional and personal tasks beyond your caregiver duties. If you feel overwhelmed by caring for your family member, you’re not alone. The following challenges are shared by many individuals providing elder care for their loved ones.

3 Common Struggles Associated With Elder Care

1. The “Lone Soldier” Syndrome

Sometimes, elder care responsibilities can be shared among siblings or other family members. However, the bulk of caregiver activities often falls on one individual, especially if others are located remotely. This can cause the primary caregiver to feel overwhelmed by the pressures of meeting their loved one’s needs. However, no one should be made to feel as if this is their duty alone. By talking with a support group, asking for help, and taking regular respite breaks, you can lift some of the weight off your shoulders.

2. Neglect of Self-Care

With so many other responsibilities to attend to, people caring for their family members often put their own needs last. This can quickly take its toll on your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. From neglecting to get enough sleep to putting your favorite activities on hold, your own interests and healthy habits may become overshadowed by seemingly more important tasks. Yet, you can’t care for someone else if you aren’t healthy yourself. Block out “you time” to pursue the things that make you feel good, including eating healthy meals, exercising, socializing, and hobbies.

3. Overwhelming Tasks

Finally, there comes a point at which elder care tasks either become too emotionally or physically demanding to perform. From heavy lifting to helping a loved one with personal hygiene, you may find yourself needing to recruit professional help to handle certain tasks. Likewise, there may also be a time when you simply can no longer fit everything in your schedule. If this is the case, hiring help for even just a couple of visits per week can tremendously ease your workload.  

If you’re experiencing any of the challenges above and would like to begin exploring elder care options to fit your family, don’t hesitate to contact A&T Certified Home Care. Serving New City, NY, these professionals specialize in pairing the elderly population with trained caregivers to assist them with their personal care needs. Learn more about their full scope of home health care services by visiting their website or calling (845) 708-8182 to speak with a team member.