What Do You Need to Know about Getting Started as a Family Caregiver?

There’s a moment when you might suddenly realize that you’re a family caregiver and you didn’t expect it. You might have known that you would eventually be your senior’s caregiver, but things change quickly when it comes to helping someone you love with the challenges of aging. Getting started the right way, even if you’ve been caregiving longer than you realize, is important.

How Do You Know You Are a Family Caregiver?

For some family caregivers, the transition to being a full-time family caregiver is so subtle that they don’t realize what’s happened until they’re hip deep in caregiving. If you’re helping your senior with household chores, taking her to doctor’s appointments, and assisting in other ways, you’re performing caregiving tasks. You might only be doing so periodically, but you’re on the path to becoming a full-time family caregiver eventually.

You’re Facing Big Challenges

As a family caregiver, you’re facing some really big challenges now and in the future. You’re more likely to experience increased levels of stress and anxiety. You’re also more likely to experience some conflicts between your duties as a family caregiver and your other obligations. This is when things get really, really difficult. Remembering to take care of yourself and your needs is crucial, because if you don’t you’re going to find that these challenges are insurmountable.

You Need Information

In order to face those challenges, you need information. Talk to your senior’s doctor about what her health and other needs are so that you can start to put plans in place to meet those needs. You’re also going to need to do some outside learning. The more that you’re able to learn, the more you’ll grow as a family caregiver.

You Need Help

Something else that you need to accept now in order to start off on the right foot is that you’re going to need help as a family caregiver. If you put off getting help, that’s going to make things just that much more difficult for you down the road. Hiring senior care providers now, even just for intermittent help, allows both you and your senior to get used to the idea of having assistance now.

Becoming a full-time family caregiver is a big transition, both for you and for your senior. It takes a while to get used to your new circumstances, but it’s possible if you allow yourself to use the tools that are available.

If you or an aging loved one is considering senior care in Mascotte, FL, please contact the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Clermont today. 1-888-423-4046.