42 million American women are “sandwiched” between the caregiving and financial needs of their children and their aging relatives, at a time when women are having children later and their parents are living longer. Also, a new survey conducted by Harris Interactive found that more than half (53 percent) of caregivers feel forced to choose between caring for their children or parents at least once a week. Twenty percent feel that way every day.
Caregiving is often a one-person show, but it does not need to be if the caregiver has support. Step one is recognizing that there are solutions. Step two is getting educated on ways to make the situation more manageable. Here are a few tips to help:
- Hold a family meeting
- Discuss the many different caregiving tasks that need to be accomplished each day or week.
- Set mutual expectations of how the many tasks of caregiving will be accomplished.
- Get the facts and avoid surprises
- Caregivers should talk to their parents about how they’re doing financially and what plans they’ve made if they become ill or incapacitated.
- Ask for assistance
- Call resources such as the local Area Agency on Aging, a hospital social worker, a physician, or a church.
- Call for in-home care help from a local agency such as Live Free Home Health Care.
Don’t go it alone. Get relief by scheduling some caregiving assistance from Live Free Home Health Care. We have trained and experienced caregivers and can help you start fixing the problems related to a life out of balance due to multiple care responsibilities.
Live Free Home Health Care provides home care in Concord, New Hampshire, the rest of the Lakes region and central New Hampshire. Call us today at 603-217-0149.