Caregiving for a parent as a parent

Excuse the cliché, but there is no greater love than the love a parent feels for their children. As a child, you don’t understand this concept. You live a carefree, innocent and pure existence. Over the years, days outside in the park transfer into days inside an office building working on your career. Then one day, you are bringing a child into your house and life completely changes. Now you understand what your parents feel for you.

As you are busy changing diapers, helping with homework, and running to and from extracurricular activities, you all but suddenly see a tragic difference in the person who loves you in the most unconditional way- your own mother. As an only child with no siblings to commiserate with, reality sets in that now you need to care for both your parent and your child simultaneously. There is no hesitation, there are only questions.

How am I going to do this? Where do I even begin?

Luckily, the internet is your friend and offers a world of support and resources to guide you through this overwhelming process. As a homecare agency providing caregivers to individuals and families around the state of Connecticut, we see this scenario over and over again. A middle aged mom or dad caring for a mom and child, all while working full time and wondering how to manage it all. Here are some tips and resources that can help anyone going through this similar scene in life.

The Discovery Stage

• Use the internet to research home care and facility living options
• Call or email businesses skilled in caregiving to help answer questions
• The more places you call, the more your knowledge will gain, the more informed decisions you will make

In the Throes Stage

• Set realistic goals for yourself and the people you are caring for. If you opt to have an in home caregiver, you need to decide what goals you want them to achieve with your loved one.
• Take care of yourself! Whether you hire a caregiver, are the caregiver, or engage in an alternative option-self care is critical in reducing stress.
• Join a support group. Who doesn’t want to relate to someone else going through it with you?
• Be kind to yourself. Always. Know you’re doing the best you can to help your loved ones.