Whether your elderly family member is suddenly in an emergency situation or merely needs help around the house, that can be a stressful situation as a long-distance caregiver. These tips can help you and your senior to get through it and prepare for the rest of the caregiving journey. If long-distance caregiving is not enough support for your senior, that’s when home care can be there to provide the assistance they need on a regular basis.
Determine What You Can Do from Afar
As your elderly family member’s long-distance caregiver, there’s still a lot that you can do from where you are. The more that you know about her health issues and what she needs, the easier it is for you to meet those needs. It’s also important to make contact with her medical providers so that you can get up to speed about anything you need to know.
Take Advantage of Technology
The technology available today helps families stay in contact better than ever before. It’s not the exact same as being with each other in person, but it’s an excellent next step. If your elderly family member is unfamiliar with technology or even a little afraid of it, there are still options that are easy for her to use so that you can stay in touch in multiple ways.
Explore Options for Help, including Home Care
Very few things can substitute for hands-on help, and if you can’t be there with your elderly family member, home care providers are an excellent option. Home care can assist with household tasks, ensure that your senior is eating, and also help you to understand what she needs. Caregivers can spend time with your elderly family member as well, ensuring that she’s got in-person socialization.
Learn Your Senior’s Routine
It’s vital to know your senior’s routine as well as you can, even if you’re not there with her. Sometimes what clues you in that there’s a problem is that your elderly family member’s routine is off, even by just a little bit. Understanding her routine in detail also helps you to know when it’s typically a good time to get in touch, especially if it’s outside of your normal set contact times.
Consider Joining Support Groups
Something else to consider is support groups for caregivers. These can give you an opportunity to meet other caregivers who might be in similar situations to your own. Learning about how they are handling the caregiving journey can give you a chance to see ways you can adjust what you’re doing for your senior. You can also get emotional support when you need it most, from people who understand exactly what it’s like to care for someone that they love.
Taking care of your senior from far away is a big responsibility. It’s entirely possible to do, but it might require you to think about caregiving in a different way than you might have in the past. Getting help sooner rather than later from home care providers can make all of this a lot easier for both you and your senior.
If you or an aging loved one is considering home care in Elizabeth, CO, please contact the caring staff at SYNERGY Home Care of Parker. 303-953-9924
