Taking care of yourself is just as crucial as taking care of an aging loved one. However, the importance of family caregiver support is often overlooked.
Caregivers assist their loved ones with social and health difficulties, but sometimes, things can become too much for one person to handle on their own.
It can be a struggle to help others when you’re feeling down. However, neglecting your own care will only make the situation harder for the both of you. This is why raising awareness for caregiver support matters.
A caregiver may need support with various tasks and balancing personal life while caring for a loved one can be challenging. Finances can be a concern while trying to provide the best care. Caregivers may also need support with managing their feelings and emotions. There are many areas where a caregiver may need support.
The Challenges of Being a Family Caregiver
The physical and emotional toll of caregiving is important, but often not discussed enough. Caregiving is considered a "job" due to the many tasks and hours required.
As you’re taking care of a loved one’s needs, it can be both physically and emotionally exhausting. As a caregiver, you might struggle with balancing your caregiving responsibilities with your personal and professional obligations which can lead to anger and frustration.
If you’re a caregiver, you may think you’re not allowed to take a break or slow down from time to time. This can contribute to bottled-up emotions and a decrease in your performance in all your activities and tasks, whether they’re related to caregiving or not.
Finally, we must talk about the financial strain caused by caregiving because it is something highly important and concerning for families. Caregiving requires money, and most of the time, families don’t have enough for their personal lives and taking care of a loved one at the same time. This can lead to frustration, sadness, and debt.
CareLink's Family Caregiver Support Services
CareLink is proud to offer Family Caregiver Support services to help seniors and their families whenever they need it. Here’s a brief introduction to what we offer.
In-home respite care is focused on providing temporary relief for primary caregivers. This allows aging loved ones to continue living independently in their own homes for as long as possible. A trained home care attendant can help you split tasks, so you don’t have to do everything by yourself.
Our support groups help connect caregivers with others going through similar experiences. This helps with understanding their emotions and feeling like they’re not alone. These groups do not have a cost and is available for anyone acting as a family caregiver who wants to connect with others who are doing the same.
Finally, CareLink provides information and assistance, connecting caregivers with resources to meet their needs, whether they come from CareLink or another agency. This includes referrals to relevant local services, application assistance for various programs, and information about possible grant assistance.
The Benefits of Family Caregiver Support
If you’re doubting whether you need family caregiver support or not, we gathered some of the benefits it can grant you.
To begin, it will improve the well-being of both the caregiver and the recipient thanks to the valuable resources you’ll be able to use. This can include information, training, and support from others.
Apart from this, people who have received family caregiver support have seen a significant reduction in their stress levels and burnout. This is essential for living a healthy and balanced lifestyle while taking care of another person.
Family caregiver support helps caregivers increase their ability to provide effective care, thanks to specific training, the resources available, and a huge community they can become a part of.
At last, family caregiver support aids in connecting caregivers with others, providing them with a sense of community and connection that can create long-lasting bonds and meaningful relationships.
Conclusion
As a caregiver for your loved one, it is essential to balance your personal life and professional obligations with your caregiver duties.
We encourage you to take a look at CareLink’s family caregiver support services, so you can find some peace and support as a caregiver. There are many resources you can access, such as support groups,counseling, grants and other services.
CareLink was founded in 1979 with the mission to provide resources for older peopleand their families. As a nonprofit agency, and the Area Agency on Aging for Central Arkansas, we strive to help people take care of others as well as themselves.
Learn more about CareLink services here. Or give us a call today. Our trained staff are here to help you find the resources you need to make your duties more manageable and your care more effective.
