It is a common family situation these days: In addition to children and parents, many people also having an elderly parent living with them, a parent who, for one reason or another, can no longer live alone. This is a tough position. No one would turn their back on their parent and deny them care. Everyone wants to be able to care for a parent in need. But, this can be burdensome on you and your family, even though you wouldn’t want to call it that. It can be a financial strain, and it can take away from time you need to work, or spend time with your children.
Beyond mere financial and time constraints, there may come a time when you are no longer capable of caring for your parent, no matter how much you wish you were. Your parent may need special medical attention that you just are not qualified to give. But what to do then? The last thing you want to do is send your parent off to live in a nursing home or facility. You want them to be able to remain in your home or a home of their own, left with dignity and comfort. At some point, a facility may be necessary. Until then, however, you can have a caregiver offer family respite care. The term itself bears the idea of giving you and your family a break, or a rest, from carrying all the responsibility of caring for your parent. The break may be a period of time, even years, between when you care for your parent alone and when your parent needs to live in a nursing facility. Or, that break might just be few hours a day, and those few hours are when you can tend to other parts of your life while your parent is safe in the hands of a caregiver.
This is a big decision, and that’s why you want an agency that cares, like Right At Home in-home care agency in Tacoma, Washington, run by president Dale Anderson. The staff at Right At Home can counsel you and consult with you, so you are sure this is the right step for you and your parent. This is a delicate situation, and no one wants you to rush into a decision. Right At Home makes sure you are fully educated and informed about all your options, so you can make your choice with your parent, all as a private family matter.
What makes an agency like Right At Home stand out is the various options available. You don’t have to choose a live-in caregiver or nothing at all. You can have someone come a few times a week to take your parent to run errands, or to keep them company. You can have someone come everyday to assist with hygiene or housework, especially if your parent is now living in his or her own home. Or, you can opt for the full-time care. All these options can center around predominantly personal care or medical care, depending on the condition of your parent, and whether or not he has a medical condition or disease.
If the decision is in fact made to move your parent into a nursing facility at some point, you can choose to have the caregiver continue their services there, even for a little while in the beginning, to ease the transition. This will make your parent more comfortable. The aim of an agency that offers family respite care is to make sure everyone is comfortable, with both the decision and the care.
