If you’re caring for both a parent or aging loved one and a child, you may find yourself struggling to manage each person’s day-to-day needs. Sunny Days In-Home Care can help you find more balance with our in-home care services for seniors. Here are some suggestions on how to manage the many responsibilities that you may face as a caregiver for multiple generations.
Ask for Help When You Need It
Many new caregivers are afraid to reach out and ask for assistance when they’re just starting out to care for their aging parent or a loved one who needs additional care. Attending to their needs 24/7 puts a significant responsibility on your shoulders, especially if you’re already caring for your children as well. Even after you acclimate yourself to this new arrangement, you may realize that the work required is more than one person can give. It’s important to allow yourself to seek outside help, such as an in-home care professional to assist you or even take on the majority of the responsibility.
As another example, you may feel like you’ve been balancing your caregiver roles just fine in the past, but things are changing. You’ve noticed that your mother’s needs have increased gradually over the past two months, and now that your son is playing little league, your time and energy are spread thin. Having an in-home caregiver visit your mother each afternoon for a few hours while you take Billy to practice can be a big help. Seeking that help may seem like a difficult decision, but a little help each week can make a big difference.
Make a Caregiving Budget
When you’re caring for an aging parent and a child, expenses can quickly rack up. Your loved one may have increased hospital visits or medical bills that you weren’t planning on. Another expense to factor in is your time. If you’re spending the majority of your time caring for your parent and your children, you may be missing work and cashing a smaller paycheck, Before making any big life decisions (with financial consequences), you should create a plan of how much you are spending on caregiving and how much money you are making.
Understand That it Can Be a Full-Time Job
People tend to underestimate how much work is required as a multigenerational caregiver. Running from your kids’ school events to dropping in on your elderly father every day requires more time and effort than you might be able to give. The responsibility doesn’t go away, however. You have to make sure that your father or other loved one is taken care of because they may not be able to do everyday tasks for themselves. Most caregivers spend an average of 20 hours each week caring for their parent, but many would say that it often feels like more. It can be tough balancing this responsibility with a full-time job and children of your own, and often there aren’t enough hours in a day to do both. That’s why it’s important to seek help.
If you realize that you need more help caring for an aging loved one, don’t be afraid to reach out to Sunny Days In-Home Care. Our care professionals can take some of the weight off your shoulders. Contact Sunny Days In-Home Care to learn more about our services.