Five Questions to Consider Before Becoming a Primary Caregiver

By Andy Niska | June 14, 2018 |

Often family caregivers wind up taking a bigger role in their senior’s care without really having an understanding of what that will mean for them. Here are some topics to consider when it comes to caregiving.

Senior Care in Liberty Lake WA: Questions to Consider Before Becoming a Primary Caregiver

Do You Have the Resources in Place to Be a Caregiver?

Being a primary caregiver means that you need to be able to access the resources you need when you need them. This might mean specialists for your senior or it might mean senior care providers to help with transportation for your elderly family member. Knowing how to look for resources is just as important as already having those resources on hand.

Are You Prepared for the Commitment of Caregiving?

If your career or personal life is extremely demanding, you may find that being a primary caregiver only adds to those demands. Someone who has a bit more freedom may not realize how large the commitment to being the primary caregiver can truly be. Look for ways to rearrange some of your other obligations, such as working from home more frequently, so that you can create better balance.

What Are Your Limitations?

Everyone has limitations and boundaries that dictate a hard stop for them. You have some limitations when it comes to caregiving. Should your own health falter, for instance, this is a limitation that will necessitate a change to how you handle being a caregiver. You might even need to step away. That’s why you need to know your limitations now rather than later.

What Is Your Support Network Like?

Being a primary caregiver means that you need to have a strong support network for yourself. Ideally this is going to be made up of friends, family members, and even senior care providers who can help you with both practical and emotional issues related to caregiving. The stronger your personal support network is the more help you have when you hit a crisis.

Do You Already Have a Self-Care Plan in Place?

One of the most crucial aspects of being a primary caregiver is that you need to remember to care for yourself as well as your elderly family member. If your own cup is empty, you have nothing to pour into anyone else’s cup. Self-care may not be something that you’ve had to consciously plan for in the past, but now that your time and energy is in demand, you need to prioritize caring for yourself.

Even if you don’t have the best answers to these questions right now, you can at least start to put solutions in place. This is especially important if you’re one of few family members who can take on caregiving duties on a more full-time basis.

If you or an aging loved one are considering senior care in Liberty Lake, WA, please contact the friendly staff at Love at Home Senior Care, today. Call (509) 204-4088

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Andy Niska

Owner at Love In Home Senior Care

Andy has over 20+ years experience in the medical community and has a true compassion for seniors. With a degree in Health Care Administration, he developed a background in a variety of health care services that only comes from first hand experience. While working as a manager of a large clinic and as an account executive for medical suppliers. Andy has built valuable relationships with the medical community.

His role in Love In Home Senior Care is to educate people on what care choice is the best fit for the senior and their family while attempting to make this decision as stress-free as possible for everyone involved.

This decision making process should be smooth and stress free for everyone, including all family members and their loved ones. Having access to people with experience (like the team at Love In Home Senior Care) to assist you along the way can help this process. With an extensive background in health care, Andy has the experience needed to guide and direct your loved one to the choice that is the best fit.