Relying on Your Friends During Your Care Journey

Making the decision to step into the role of being a family caregiver for your elderly parent is a lifechanging choice. You are agreeing to give of your time, energy, effort, and resources to make sure that your parent’s needs are met and that you they are able to live the highest quality of life possible as they age in place. This can be a challenging experience that can cause you to experience high levels of stress. This stress can lead to a variety of complications for you, including diminished mental and emotional health and well-being. There are many ways that you can reduce this stress and protect your own health and well-being throughout your care journey with them, but one especially beneficial is relying on your friends.

August 15 is Best Friends Day. This is the ideal opportunity for you to acknowledge the benefits of keeping your friends close to you and relying on them throughout your caregiver journey.

Some of the ways that you can rely on your friends during your care journey include:

• Talk to them regularly. Taking a few minutes out of your busy day to talk to your friends is a fantastic way to ease your stress. This can brighten a difficult day, make you laugh, and remind you that there is more than the struggles that you are facing. They also act as a safe place to express your emotions and frustration and receive support.
• Keep your identity strong. It is easy to lose yourself in your caregiver role. You are so committed to fulfilling your tasks and giving your parent everything that they need that you stop focusing on yourself and what makes you you. This can lead to mental and emotional issues and can also diminish your quality of life after your caregiver journey comes to an end. Spending time with your friends helps to reinforce your identity and remind you of your life outside of your care journey so that you can maintain it more effectively.
• Something to look forward to. Every caregiver needs a “light at the end of the tunnel” when they are dealing with difficult times in the care journey. Having plans with your friends gives you something to look forward to to help you overcome these challenges and maintain a better spirit, reducing your risk of stress and burnout and improving the quality of your care.

Being a family caregiver for your aging loved one does not mean that you have to take on all of the responsibilities for your senior completely by yourself. Starting elder care for your loved one can be an exceptional way to ensure that any care gaps that might exist in your care routine are filled and that you are able to focus on other elements of your life while still feeling confident that your aging parent is getting everything that they need to stay healthy, happy, and comfortable as they age in place. With this type of arrangement, you are able to give your parent all of the care that you are able to, and rely on the elderly home care services provider to manage other tasks that you are unable to do because of your own limitations, difficulties, or schedule. This supports a close relationship, reduces the risk of caregiver stress, and helps your parent to live a lifestyle that is as active, engaged, and fulfilled as possible throughout their later years.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering elder care in Los Banos, CA, please contact the caring staff at Valley Home Care.