Feeling Trapped Caring for Ederly Parent?

Are you burnout from caring for your elderly parents? Yes, you love your mom/dad… you want them to have the very best, you want them attended to 24/7, but…

You have limited patience, limited time, limited knowledge, and limited capability. That’s right… you have limits, and so do your loved ones. There are many emotional effects from caring for elderly parents. There is a limit to how much pressure they are putting upon you, or how they feel uncomfortable with you handling their every need… yes, including dealing with bathing and toileting. That’s as hard on them as it is on you. Being in the situation of needing help with every little thing and being dependent upon you was not their idea of what they had hoped for in life.

Yes…this is a very painful, difficult, and stressful time for not only the one needing care but for you, the at-home, in-house 24/7 caregiver. There is a point where you will need to face the fact that you are not invincible, you have a limited amount of time, energy and patience, you are not a professional caregiver… you are their daughter or their son… and that’s okay! 

You are gifted in many ways, and you may even be a very patient person, and yes, you love mom or dad with every fiber of your body… but you have limits. The good news is that there are real and practical solutions.

Professional In-Home Care Agencies

You have two workable options. First to consider is to provide mom or dad with a limited amount of in-home care. This will cost you between $25 to $35 per hour with minimum shifts of 4 hours. This may temporarily suffice until mom or dad needs 8 or 12 or even 24/7 care… which in most cases, they will. Then it becomes a very expensive option with the drawback of your loved one not being able to receive positive social interaction with others. One of the greatest challenges of aging is loneliness. This happens because people seclude themselves primarily due to immobility.

Quality Assisted Living Homes

Well operated residential-style assisted living homes are an excellent option because your loved one will receive round-the-clock help and attention when needed. It also provides the family an environment they can visit and enjoy as an actual “home” versus a large, assisted living “facility”. Imagine mom or dad trying to use a walker for a 70-foot hallway to then have to navigate an elevator and then walk another 40 feet to get to the dining room. If they ever make it, they would be exhausted and then they still have to get back to their room! This is one reason so many people seclude themselves, even in a fancy and well-run large facility with lots of amenities they just will not use because they are too far away from their own bathroom.

Personalized Care and Attention at Residential Assisted Living Homes 

Now, imagine your mom or dad waking up and having immediate assistance getting out of bed if needed, they take a 15 foot walk to their dining table where the care team knows his/her name, what time they gets up, they know they like their tea hot with ½ teaspoon of white sugar and one slice of lightly toasted rye bread, lots of butter and Smucker’s Grape Jelly… their brand, not the store brand. Now, that’s life in a “home”… not a facility. This kind or personalized living can only be found in certain very well run assisted living homes such as Comfort and Love Senior Care Homes offers.

Stress of Caring for Elderly Parents

It takes tremendous effort caring for an elderly parent at either their home or yours. It typically comes with emotional stress as well as physical stress. The fact is, the average busy daughter or son is not able to handle such responsibilities although you want to… you may eventually reach a point where you need to engage outside support. Yes, it costs money… but in effect, you are already paying the price to yourself and your own family.

Home Care Agencies 

Moving forward, your next step may be to interview a few Home Care Agencies. You could possibly even try their service and get a feel if this may be workable going forward. Another step would be to stop by and visit several assisted living homes in the area. This way you can get a feel of what it may be like to have mom or dad cared for in a healthy and stimulating environment with professionals to care for them and other residents to associate with. Also having their own private room and bathroom can provide immeasurable comfort and security when they need it most.  Not all homes have private rooms and bathrooms, but high-end homes such as Comfort and Love in Wichita Kansas do.

Feeling the stress of caring for elderly parents? Just know that you have professionals ready to help support you and your family through this challenging time in your family’s life.  Please give us a call when you are ready for this next step.

Residential Assisted Living Homes in Wichita, Kansas

Provide your parents the love and comfort they deserve. Comfort and Love is Wichita’s premier assisted living and memory care home. Our certified caregivers provide 24/7 loving care and attention to our assisted living community residents. We are also experienced in memory care, including Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.

When our residents need attention, we respond quickly and with a loving smile.

Contact us today to schedule a visit and come see for yourself what makes our assisted senior living homes special!