If you work full time, care for your own family, and are the primary caregiver for an aging parent, you don’t get to spend much time with either your family, or your parent. If your parent is home bound, and can’t get out without assistance they can begin to feel lonely. Loneliness can lead to depression, which can lead to a whole host of problems. Rather than being alone all day why not have home care come in, and help around the house fixing meals and/or doing some cleaning? This way your senior parent isn’t alone all day, and has someone to talk to and even go out with to run errands, or just get some fresh air.
Home care services can provide a complete range of services to suit practically any of the needs of your parent. Home care services can provide personnel to help around the house, act as a companion to help keep your parent more active, and engage in conversation with your parent. Just having someone else to interact with during some days can be the difference between feeling lonely and feeling happy, and engaged. If your parent is still somewhat active, but doesn’t feel safe going out alone, home care services can provide someone to accompany them to things like: shopping, hair care, or just getting out for a day.
The more socially connected your parent is the happier they will be. Whether it be just needing help with transportation, or wanting someone to help around the house to free up some time, let home care services get involved. You will definitely notice a change in your parent as you spend more and more face time with them, and less time attending to chores around the house. Since you won’t any longer be doing all the cleaning, laundry, and other chores, you will have more energy when you get home to spend some quality time with your kids.
Your parent will be much happier since you can now spend some quality time with them rather than spending all your time cleaning and running errands. Seniors like to have conversations face to face just like everyone else. While a conversation on the phone is nice, it is much better to be able to talk about things in person. Seeing and talking to them in person also allows you to look for potentially troubling changes in their mental, or physical health.
There is even a chance that your senior parent will become friends with the home care provider, and they will spend some time together socially. They may find that they have similar interest, and tastes and begin to attend social activities together. They may find out that they like similar foods, TV programs, and magazines. The home care provider may become a friend and/or companion to your senior loved one. The most important thing though is that having someone around can help fight feelings of loneliness. Feelings of loneliness can lead to depression, which would require treatment and more of your time. Using a home are service is a good way to help care for your parents, and a way to combat feelings of loneliness.
If you have a loved one who could benefit from home care services in Antioch CA, contact the caregivers at Hillendale Home Care. We help seniors and their families with many levels of home care service. Call (925) 933-8181 for more information.
