Taking care of elderly parents and loved ones at home is one of the most demanding yet rewarding duties you can perform for those who once cared for you.
Stressed out or need help figuring out where to start? In this article, you will learn seven tips showing how one can become a successful home-based caregiver to parents.
- Keep Them Physically and Mentally Active
Unfortunately, being lonely or even depressed is not uncommon for senior people, particularly if they have lost their partner.
Yet, they can find their purpose and happiness by staying connected with family and friends or even by going out and meeting new people. There may be centers in your community where people can go to engage in various social and physical activities, which can be very helpful in improving the general well-being of your loved one.
- Offer Them Healthy Meals to Ensure Their Well-being
Your loved one may not be capable of preparing meals for themselves, or they may not wish to do so. They need to be fed properly to be able to maintain good health. These days, people are always so busy that they can only cook meals occasionally. That’s why it is good to cook several dishes at once.
Furthermore, your loved one may be eligible for other supported meal deliveries like Meals on Wheels, depending on his or her circumstances; however, they may also choose to enlist in another deliverable meal service. Some of these meal plans also include special diets, such as meals geared towards catering to diabetic people as well.
- Look for a Competent in-Home Care Provider
Whenever you try to manage the responsibilities of caring for a parent on your own without seeking assistance from other people, it becomes stressful and causes caregiver burnout. There is a wide range of in home care services depending on the needs of your parents, whether for house cleaning, cooking, or even transportation.
When you obtain this additional assistance, your elderly parents can remain as self-sufficient as possible and yet receive the quality of care that you desire and require
As much as these services might come with added costs, they can afford proper health and personal care that you may not be able to give.
- Take Care of Their Medications
Ensure your loved one has enough stocks of the medications they need. They need to have all their prescriptions fulfilled and refilled whenever the need arises. If they are on a few medicines, they should consider purchasing a medication dispenser with compartments for days of the week and AM/PM dosage.
This can prevent the complexity of their medication-taking process. Suppose a new medicine is prescribed. In that case, one should be confident and discuss with the attending doctor or a pharmacist the possible side effects or interference with other medicines currently taken.
- Be Mindful of Your Financial Position
In order to take care of your parents, you might require financial help from the government or any other means. You can get relief on taxes if the elderly parent is claimed as a dependent.
While some people may have the luxury of leaving their workplaces to take care of their parents full-time, others cannot do this.
In these cases, you could hear the question, ‘Will Medicare pay for taking care of my parents?’ The answer is yes, this can happen, so you may need to investigate if you or your family receives this kind of financial assistance.
