Caring for an Aging Loved One? We Can Help!

Everyone needs a break. Respite care provides caregivers a temporary rest from caregiving, whether it's for a few hours a week to run errands or a few weeks a year to take a much-needed vacation, respite care offers you the chance to reduce stress. Many times, caring for a loved one involves family, so HomeLife Senior Care can also play a role in providing “respite care” for the family caregiver (i.e., a wife caring for a husband or a daughter/son caring for her/his parents). Constant caregiving can bring considerable stress, because the caregiver’s focus is centered on the one needing care. Very often, we see that when we give relief with daily routines, allowing the family caregiver(s) more time for themselves, the relationship strengthens.

In the 21st Century, the demands placed on family and other informal caregivers continue to escalate, and will eventually affect nearly every American family. It’s everyone’s greatest fear: a parent starts to forget things . . . he becomes bewildered, confused, and angry. Finally, he can’t take care of himself and needs full-time care. Adult children are increasingly faced with their biggest nightmare – parents who are as helpless as young children.

Choosing a homecare provider for your loved one can be a stressful decision. When faced with many choices in agencies, it is sometimes difficult to know why one is better than another. East County media, clients, and local senior care professionals regard HomeLife Senior Care as a caregiving company that demonstrates excellence; re-affirmed in The Press newspaper group with such honors as being voted the Gold Medal winner for Best of Brentwood and Best of Oakley, honoring service excellence to the older adult community, and the Delta Sun Times recognition award for Best of Discovery Bay. HomeLife Senior Care has earned Better Business Bureau’s A+ rating, and is a Home Care Pulse Provider of Choice. What does it mean to win these prestigious awards? It means that we care about quality in our interactions with clients, family and caregivers. It means we truly go beyond making statements about “quality” and being “professional”, we put these statements into action. We hope that knowing this helps you to understand how much we care about your experience and your loved one’s quality of life.

HomeLife Senior Care works with families to provide one-on-one personalized assistance helping to keep aging family members at home where they can live comfortably and happily for as long as possible. Click here to learn about our complete list of senior in-home care services.

If you find yourself caring for an aging loved one, you are not alone! Consider the following:

Nearly a quarter (23.9%) of U.S. households are now involved in caring for an elderly family member or relative, spending an average of 20 hours a week in caregiving-related chores.

Some 80% of caregivers provide unpaid assistance seven days a week.

More than 60% of all family caregivers say they have suffered from depression. (Source: National Family Caregivers Association/Fortis Long Term Care, 1998)

Long distance caregivers miss nearly 15 million days of work each year. (Source: National Council on Aging/The Pew Charitable Trusts, 1998)

Long-term family caregiving takes a significant toll on workers. Lost productivity, absenteeism, interruptions and replacing employees due to elder care costs American business in excess of $11.4 billion annually. (Source: National Alliance for Caregiving/Glaxo Welcome Report, 1997)

A significant decline in the number of family caregivers is occurring in the U.S., while at the same time, the demand for elder care is increasing.

HomeLife Senior Care can help you by providing:

Qualified, caring, trained, insured, bonded, and flexible caregivers who can help you take a few hours, without feeling guilty or stressed, while you take care of yourself or other members of your family. Our caregivers can assist your elderly loved one for a few hours a week, a few hours a day, or more. Giving yourself a little bit of time away may be just what the doctor ordered and will help you to be a much better family caregiver.

In-home consultations. We routinely perform in-home consultations that result in a customized care plan for your loved ones. You may choose to have us carry out the care plan in whole or in part, or you may simply choose to use the care plan to improve your own ability to care for your loved one.

Access to information and training for caregivers. We have access to (and offer) a wealth of information, training and resources for caregivers.

Home safety checks. We have extensive experience in the multi-faceted process of ensuring that your loved one’s home is safe, which is vital to maintaining independence for as long as possible.

Support and understanding. We can help you get connected with support groups and individuals in our area that can help YOU, as well as help you care for your loved one.

If you are a family caregiver in need of some help, don’t hesitate to contact us. You can talk to us about your unique situation, schedule a free in-home consultation, and be well on your way to a happier, healthier life for you and your loved one.