As a family caregiver, it’s important to help aging loved ones maintain independence.
Throughout the many stages of life, “independence” can mean different things. There are major events, such as leaving our parents’ home or getting married, and less significant events, like completing a difficult task on our own. Then, as we age, staying as independent as possible becomes a priority, like being able to live safely and securely in your own home. This wish to grow older in place at home is usually the greatest desire for older adults, regardless of their condition of health or ability to function independently, even in the face of injuries, sickness or chronic health problems. And it’s why as family caregivers, we need to do everything we can to help aging loved ones maintain their independence.
For adult children, providing care for senior parents at home is often challenging, with physical, emotional and social considerations. Adult children may find the need to increase their time spent as caregiver for an older parent, becoming more involved in the everyday tasks this critical role requires, all while trying to balance their loved one’s independence.
It’s not hard to lose yourself in caregiving—our parents mean the world to us, and when in need, it’s natural to want to do anything we can to support them. But it’s imperative to bear in mind that, for the great majority of seniors, maintaining independence is a crucial element in their desire to age at home. Even though we may mean well, it’s easy to accidentally become overbearing and to start impeding on our aging parents’ independence. And often, this type of hands-on caregiving can have a damaging effect on the self-sufficiency and overall everyday freedom seniors need and deserve.
The Mesa home care team at Endeavor In Home Care suggests keeping the following in mind:
- Self-reliance offers seniors a sense of achievement and self-worth, both of which are vital during the later years
- Independence makes it possible for seniors to continue making contributions to the community and world around them, and to feel positive about the impact they are having
- Senior independence helps prevent feelings of dejection and uselessness, even in the middle of illness, injury and the overall difficulties of growing older
- Having the ability to accomplish tasks independently helps bring about future and continuing self-reliance
Put yourself in your parents’ shoes. How would you feel if someone else took over tasks that you knew you were capable of doing yourself? Allowing an aging loved one to maintain independence can foster a feeling of self-confidence. By bringing in the assistance of experts who specialize in home care services for older adults, you can help enhance your loved one’s feelings of empowerment and capacity to function effectively at home. Endeavor In Home Care, a leading Mesa home care provider, is here to assist when the need arises – partnering with you and your loved one, and never taking over.
Our skilled caregivers offer a broad range of home care services for older adults in Mesa, AZ and the surrounding areas, which allow aging loved ones to focus on what they can do while we assist with tasks that are overwhelming. Our Mesa in home care services (also available throughout the surrounding areas) include light housekeeping services and meal preparation, assistance with personal care needs, transportation, and companion care. Contact us online or by phone at 480-498-2324 today to learn more.
