Suddenly a Caregiver


Suddenly A Caregiver

When Your Dad Becomes Your Dependent

 

Eva Bonilla made a difficult decision; made with love. After a fire in her parents’ home, she quit her job, loaded her father’s wheelchair and oxygen tank into her car and made a home for the 84-year old man in her living room.

He had lost everything in the tragedy – his house, his possessions, his wife of 60 years. And now he was losing his body.

It was a humbling experience for everyone involved. Bonilla had always considered her father a hero. A nearby park even bears the name of the World War II veteran. But there she was, keeping track of his endless medications, scrubbing his dentures, cleaning up after the occasional accident. Jesse Sandoval was a modest man but fluent in two languages, yet on most days, he had few words to say.

The circumstances of Bonilla’s father’s decline were unique. But her story is one version of an oft-told tale, given the fact our aging population is living longer but requiring more care, often provided at home.

Experts say experiences like Bonilla’s, documented in MyHighPlains.com, will become even more common, as family members take on the responsibility of caring for their loved ones.

“It was unbelievably stressful,” Bonilla said. “We’re not trained caregivers.”

That’s where in-home care comes in, opening the door to peace of mind by providing the high-quality care your loved ones deserve. Bonilla said she wished she had been better prepared to take care of her father. With the help of specially trained in-home caregivers, you can better cope with the physical and emotional effects of aging. Caregivers, like those from SYNERGY HomeCare, can help family members with memory-related disorders, illness or injury, and provide you reassurance that your loved one is well cared for and safe. Click here to learn more about respite services from SYNERGY HomeCare.