You and your senior might not have thought much about personal care tasks, but these can be situations that can be incredibly stressful for both of you. Tasks like bathing, brushing her teeth, and even getting dressed can all be tasks you may need to help her complete.
Determine How Comfortable You Are with Personal Care
Every caregiver and every senior has a different comfort level when it comes to personal care. You might not have any issues when it comes to helping your senior to change clothes, but helping her to bathe is a different story altogether. Or you might be okay with helping her to brush her hair, but brushing her teeth is uncomfortable. These are your personal boundaries. Your senior might have some boundaries around her personal care, too.
Your Senior’s Needs Are Going to Change
Your senior may be found doing quite a few of her own personal care tasks herself. She might only need a little bit of help every once in a while or under specific circumstances. As her health changes, such as when her mobility changes, she might require a different level of assistance. That’s something that you’re going to need to account for overtime.
Your Needs Are Going to Change
But it’s not just your senior’s needs that will change. Over time, you’re going to have different needs as well. Your health might change faster than you expect, which might leave you less able to stay on top of your senior’s personal care needs. This might mean that some of the things you’re able and willing to do for your senior now become tasks that are too difficult for you later.
You Won’t Always Be There
It’s also important to remember that you’re not always going to be there for your senior. You may have other obligations and needs that you have to take care of, and that might mean that you’re not there when your senior needs your help. Respite time is a vital part of your own self-care, too. All of that is important to remember when factoring in care decisions.
Personal care is indeed very personal and there may be times when you’re not able to do as much of those tasks for your senior as you want. Elder care providers can be the obvious answer in that situation. They can help to preserve your senior’s dignity while also allowing you to help when and where you’re able to do so.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring a Caregiver in Berkeley, CA, call the caring staff at Aviva In-Home Care.
Call today: (415) 795-2203
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