Are your aging parents in need of help to ensure safety at home? Are you simultaneously trying to accommodate caring for children and family at home? Then you have the distinction of being a part of the sandwich generation – a demographic of folks, for the most part in their 30s or 40s, who are responsible for raising their own children and caring for their senior parents. The to-do lists of today’s sandwich generation are crammed. Many family caregivers not only work outside of the home full-time, but they are also shuttling their children to and from school and after-school activities and maintaining a home on top of their caregiving obligations. There are choices to aid caregivers though, and the beginning step is getting educated on how to make life more manageable.

At the risk of placing more on your plate, give some thought to building in these items to your to-do list:

  • Have a family meeting.
  • Talk through the many different caregiving responsibilities that need to be carried out each day or week. Set mutual expectations of how these tasks of caregiving will be completed.
  • Get the facts to avoid surprises.
  • Talk with your aging parents about how they’re doing on a financial basis, what their desires are for long-term care, and what plans they’ve made if they become sick or incapacitated.
  • Ask for help.

This is frequently the toughest thing for a family caregiver to do, but it is by far the most essential. You cannot do everything without any help, and that’s OK! Reach out to resources such as your local Area Agency on Aging, a hospital social worker, a healthcare provider, or a religious organization. Also, contact a local senior care agency, like Hillendale Home Care in Walnut Creek to give yourself a break while making sure your loved one is well cared for.

Always remember that you don’t ever have to go it alone. Hillendale Home Care’s in-home care services can offer you the opportunities you need to rest and recuperate so you don’t experience sandwich generation caregiver burnout. Whether the need is for just a couple of hours each week, 24/7, live-in care, or anything in between, our compassionate eldercare staff in and around Walnut Creek, CA can offer help with a broad range of home care needs: personal care, meal planning/preparation, housekeeping chores, taking care of errands, transportation, or simply pleasant companionship to participate in enjoyable conversations and pastimes.

 

Contact us today at 925-933-8181 to learn more about our home care and eldercare in Walnut Creek and the surrounding area, and to find out how we can help you and your family.