Providing care for an elderly family member or loved one can be an extremely rewarding experience, but it comes with its fair share of stress, especially for those who do not have dedicated experience with caregiving. This stress is often compounded by the fact that many family caregivers offer help around the house to loved ones suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and other degenerative conditions. Over time, the need for constant, quality care becomes greater and leaves family members feeling overwhelmed.
With Respite Care in Newnan, GA caregivers can get the much-needed breaks they require to stay healthy and sane and focus on their own lives. It’s not uncommon for family members to be hesitant about hiring outside caregivers, often experiencing feelings of guilt and concern. This article is intended to dispel some common myths about respite care and encourage family members to take the breaks they need to happily maintain their own lives while providing care for those they love.
Myth #1: If a Loved One Continues to Decline, it’s the Caregiver’s Fault
While adequate care can help to slow the progression of some diseases, it’s unreasonable to believe that continued improvement is to be expected even with stellar care. The myth that family members can somehow prevent the progression of degenerative diseases can be extremely harmful. Most caregivers are already devoting a good deal of their time and energy to providing help, and taking on even more responsibility is less likely to help their loved ones than it is to harm the caregivers themselves.
Myth #2: Caregivers Themselves Don’t Need Help
This should be obviously untrue, yet the needs of family caregivers all too often go unrecognized. It’s often the case that one sibling provides the majority of care for his or her elderly parent alone. The Respite Care in Newnan, GA agencies provide offers help to both the elderly patients in need of care and the family members helping them around the home and there’s nothing wrong with relying on this kind of service.
Myth #3: The Choice to Provide In-Home is an All-or-Nothing Decision
Many family members believe that their only options are to provide 100% of the care their loved ones need at home or to send them to a nursing home. In reality, agencies like Sacred Journey Hospice can offer a wide range of services. Visit website to learn more today.
