Top 5 Sources of Stress for Family Caregivers

1. Facing Conflicting Opinions Regarding Care

In a family, disagreements sometimes happen, and squabbling with your siblings regarding your loved one’s care can be stressful. When conflicts such as these arise, consider consulting a professional. For example, a doctor may say it’s perfectly fine for your loved one to age in place after the development of a recent health condition as long as he or she has the proper support.

2. Transitioning To A New Routine

As a person ages, changes in health are normal. For this reason, family caregivers must be prepared to adapt as their loved ones’ personal care needs change. During this time, try to keep other elements of the routine as normal as possible, and seek additional help if the transition becomes too challenging.

Families who need help caring for senior loved ones can turn to TheKey, a leading provider of at-home care. Services available in our customizable care plans include meal prep, mental and social stimulation, assistance with personal hygiene tasks, and much more.

3. Juggling Multiple Roles

Family caregivers are often parents, employees, and members of social groups that also need their involvement. Attempting to do it all may be part of a caregiver’s nature, but it leads to more stress when schedules conflict. Creating a monthly calendar of events is a great place to start minimizing stress created by role conflicts. This way, you can arrange for someone else to step in during times when there’s too much to get done on your own.

If you’re the primary family caregiver for an elderly loved one and need additional assistance providing high-quality elderly home care, TheKey can help. We are a leading home care agency committed to changing the way seniors age.

4. Facing Personal Health Concerns

In addition to needing time for relaxation, caregivers must also have time to take care of their personal health. This is because being sick or in pain generates more stress during their daily routines. Sticking to an exercise plan and arranging for time to go to the doctor are essential ways to prevent being more stressed due to a sudden illness.

5. Lacking Time To Recharge

Caregivers are notorious for soldiering through their duties. However, recharging is essential for preventing burnout. Learning to realize a short break is beneficial is the first step toward minimizing caregiver stress. The second step is to arrange for respite care, which can be utilized for a few short hours or even entire days so you can come back to your duties truly refreshed.

Caring for a senior loved one can be rewarding, but it can also be overwhelming for family caregivers who have other responsibilities they need to focus on. For these families, the perfect solution is respite care. Canadian families rely on our caregivers whenever they need time to rest, work, run errands, and even go on vacation. If you need professional home care for your aging loved one, our Care Managers are just a phone call away.