Including your loved one initially seems stressful. You don’t know what to expect from them. Will they really enjoy themselves? Is this just wasted effort? Will including them bring me more stress and ruin my holiday season? What’s important is that you show them through your efforts that they are still important.
When keeping your elderly loved one involved in the holiday season, it’s important to remember that your plans don’t have to be elaborate, expensive, or exciting. Your goal is to make memories with your elderly loved one not for them.
We hear a lot these days about making choices and how they’re our choices to make. Our society likes the idea of us making a choice for ourselves while our friends and family do nothing but applaud our individuality. Everyday however, caregivers are experiencing the backlash of our parents’ and loved ones’ individual lifestyle choices.
While there is usually a primary care person, caring for an elderly parent is a team effort. There are so many pieces involved in creating a successful care environment and plan that it is virtually impossible to do on your own. Even with my knowledge and limited experience, I still made several mistakes as I branched out to adding home care as part of our new caregiving team.
Establish a daily routine so you can put the functions of your home on autopilot giving you peace knowing there is a process for getting things done.
Hiring home care to help you take care of your elderly parent is a big responsibility but it is so important for your mental health as a caregiver. Following these strategies on the first day of home care will set you and your parent up for a successful addition to your caregiving team.