When it comes to daily help, you’re the only one stopping by. Your parents rely on you to cook dinner, help with cleaning, and assist with bill paying and finances. You’re struggling to balance your responsibilities at work with their needs. How do you get your siblings to help out?
Ask for Help
Sometimes, the easiest way to get help is to ask for it. If you haven’t tried asking. Start there. Explain what you’re doing each day and what would help the most.
You might have a hard time getting your kids from school when your parents have medications to take while you’re on the road. If you have a brother or sister who could get your kids while you focus on your parents or vice versa, it helps.
You have business meetings once a week on Friday morning. If your brother or sister could take over each Friday, it would help you focus on work. If they could fill in the whole day, you would have a day off to run errands and focus on self-care and social activities.
Install Care Apps
Install a care app and set it up to show your siblings what needs to be done each day of the week. Make sure they can get in and add things to the list or claim certain tasks as things they can do each week.
If they’re not helping, it may be a case of them not understanding how much you do. Include your own errands and tasks to make sure they have a clear picture. Don’t demand they look at it. Instead, recommend the app as a way to keep up with changes to your parents’ emotional and physical needs.
Once they see how much you’re doing, they may offer to help out at times and with tasks that fit their schedules. For example, you might find your brother can step in and get your parents’ groceries at the same time he’s shopping for his groceries. That would help you out.
Schedule Senior Care Services
If you still can’t get your brothers and/or sisters to help out, call a senior care agency. It’s time to focus on yourself and have caregivers help your parents when you can’t.
Arrangements for senior care can be daily, weekly, or every now and then. You can have caregivers helping for a few hours every couple of weeks or an hour every day. You and your parents decide on the best schedule and services.
The staff at Home Care Matters is available to talk with you and your family about all of your needs. Home Care Matters is a home care agency providing quality and affordable Senior Care in Braselton, GA, and surrounding areas. Call (770) 965.4004 for more information.
We provide home care in Flowery Branch, Braselton, Buford, Dacula, Duluth, Gainesville, Johns Creek, Lawrenceville, Oakwood, Sugar Hill, Suwanee, Barrow County, Forsyth County, Gwinnett County, Hall County, Jackson County, North Fulton County.
Valerie has the unique experience with home care as she has experienced it from both ends of the spectrum, as a caregiver and as needing care herself as a cancer survivor. Valerie says, “Taking care of someone you love is a physically, mentally and demanding labor of love.Taking care of my mom was the hardest thing I have ever done. It has given me an insight and perspective not many people understand unless you are doing it or have done it.I loved taking care of my mom.I love helping others take care of their love ones too.And now that I’ve been sick, it’s given me a whole new level of empathy and understanding for those who are sick and need help.”
Valerie’s schedule varies daily, but she loves visiting with our clients, families, caregivers, our network partners and being in the office.Says Valerie, “Every day is different, but I wake up excited about what we do, inspired by our team, clients and caregivers.I strive to be a resource to the community.I love my team and I love what we do every day. I like to think my mom would be proud.”
You can reach Valerie by email (Valerie@homecarematters.com) or in our office (770.965.4004).
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