The Challenges and Solutions to Being an Adult Caregiver

No one said being an adult caregiving was easy. I know this from personal experience. What most people do not realize is the incredible sacrifice it takes to be a caregiver. Adult Caregivers invest time, money, and an immense amount of emotional and physical energy into caring for an Aging Loved One. There are several challenges that are specific to caregivers. Being aware and prepared will assist you in being less likely to neglect your own needs. A caregiver who is prepared for the challenges, and puts a priority on their own wellness, is a caregiver who can best serve others. Here are 5 challenges faced by caregivers.

Isolation

Being a caregiver can be extremely time-intensive, particularly for caregivers who also maintain a job in addition to their caregiving responsibilities. Commonly referred to as “The Sandwich Generation”. When this occurs, becoming, isolation can be quite common.

Isolation is the forerunner to burnout!! It is critical that caregivers schedule some time in their busy schedules with a friend and being around people. This will greatly improve the caregiver’s health, and in turn, improve outcomes for the person receiving care.

Caregiver burnout

Burnout occurs when a caregiver completely neglects their own needs and applies all of their energy on their loved one they are caring for. Caregiver burnout will creep into your life without you even knowing it. Eventually, a caregiver neglects their own needs so dramatically that they become physically and emotionally exhausted and prevents them so caring for not only themselves, but their loved ones. Caregiving burnout is very common. It is important for caregivers to recognize the signs of burnout — exhaustion, fatigue, withdrawal from friends, and irritability.

Limited resources

Most Adult Caregivers are family members with experience in caregiving. Lack of resources can make caregiving scary, particularly when navigating complex health care system. Many caregivers experience added stress when making important medical decisions because they do not have access to reliable support and resources.

Financial Limitations

Besides being unpaid for the care provided, there are often many expenses that fall onto the shoulders of those providing care. This adds to the stress and burnout that is building up. A professional caregiving company can assist you both access available resources and help you navigate the health care system.

Lack of support

Obtaining the support, you need is critical in preventing burnout and providing the best care for a loved one. It is so important for caregivers to recognize when they need support — should it be from other caregivers, family, friends, a therapist, or a professional caregiving company.

When it comes time to hire a professional caregiving company, Caregiving Experts can provide you with a set of options to consider. We offer a complimentary no obligation home assessment.

CLICK HERE TO SCHEDULE A FREE CONSULTATION

Another resource is the book, “A Son’s Journey: Taking Care of Mom and Dad” and can be found here.

Author: Caregiving Experts

“This is a great place to work for. Management is easy to work with they are willing to lend and hand or ear when he comes to frustration, conflicts or any struggles you may have. This company is very understanding when it comes to worker or client’s needs and wants.”

Joey M.Caregiver

“We needed 24/7 care for my father who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. We needed caregivers and we needed them within a week. Karen Boshell and the Caregiving Experts team work hard putting together a team of caregivers for us. Although we ended up putting my father in a memory care facility, we appreciate all the effort they put into trying to help us.”

George G.

“The administrative staff at Caregiving Experts are good to work with. They communicated well with me to keep consistent coverage for helping our family with our Mom. I worked with 5 caregivers from there. Four of them provided excellent service. I think this proves that their training and selection process for their caregivers is probably pretty darn good.”

Toni K.

“Finding Caregivers who are willing to work during this pandemic has been so challenging. The staff at Caregiving Experts have been so helpful and responsive.”

Susan B.

“Karen B. is both highly professional, caring, and easy to discuss ANY medical matter. We didn’t make a connection today, due to a more practical needs, family approach, for my mother. Nevertheless, we found both her experience and knowledge, and caring for the elderly patient, Incredibly detailed, and every wit compassionate. With it! In a 2 hour meeting, Karen responded to EVERY question, and possible concern we might have. Possibly, see you in the future.”

Kenneth B.

“Caregiving Experts took great care of my aunt. They are trained in end of life care and they have a fantastic Quality Assurance Care Manager who worked side by side with the Hospice Company to coordinate care services and provide the best quality caregivers. I would highly recommend them for any family who is looking for peace of mind that their loved one is being treated with dignity and respect.”

Justin B.

“My mom is almost 92 years young. And, I am so happy that Barb is my mom’s caregiver, she is more like a friend to my mom than a caregiver. Our family is blessed to have Barb in my mom’s life .Karen is always very prompt with replying to any of my questions or concerns.”

Gayle C.

“I was desperate to find care for my mom when I called Caregiving Experts. They did an intake that same day and had someone out to my mom’s place within 3 hours. The caregivers were professional and did a great job. They were very flexible with their hours and followed-up when they said they would. Thank you Karen and staff!!!”

Sue S.

“Caregiving Experts provided excellent care to my mother. The staff is wonderful to work with and genuinely care about their customers.”

Sheri R.

“Fantastic company to work for and the caregivers we have working for the company are compassionate, kind, patient, and trained in a variety of areas. Dementia care and traumatic brain injuries, TBI’s.”

Karen B.Director Of Care Management Services

“I have worked for this company for almost 2 years and it has been one of the best work experiences I ever had. The management particularly Karen is so easy to work with. She understands her clients well and is a match maker sent form God. She has great matchmaking skills and is able to discern which client YOU will work best with (ultimately it’s the caregivers choice) and will be comfortable integrating into the home and provide the best care and companionship to the client. This company is Amazing and will recommend it to anyone.”

Cortez C.Caregiver

“I’ve been with this company for almost a year and since day one management has been nothing but professional. They work around your schedule and make sure that you’re comfortable. Not only that, they make sure that they hire only the best for their clients. I especially love the hospitality that the clients and their family show, make you feel like you’re a part of their family. I wouldn’t leave this company for anything, you’ll have to drag me out kicking and screaming.”

Siedah O.Caregiver

“I transferred to Caregiving Experts from another home care company. The difference in the two is apparent in the relationships they build with not only the staff, but also with the clients. They make sure the client is partnered with the right caregiver to meet or exceed their needs. Karen stays up to date with all scheduling and communication and calls with any last minute schedule changes. She has an open door policy and assists with any and all questions and concerns. When it comes to home care you will not find a better company!”

Lenora G.Caregiver

Joey M.Caregiver

“To all those in the southwest Detroit area who are need of quality attendant care for your loved ones I would recommend you search no further than Caregiving experts. When medical circumstances occur and your family or friends are unable to provide the care that is required it is comforting to know that you can rely in a company that demonstrates its commitment to your family member by its professionalism. Karen (director) provides you with the information that you need to help ease your fears during this difficult time. Because of her experience she can anticipate potential serious situations before they occur, has a wealth of contacts in both social and medical communities. But most important of all Karen fosters a feeling of trust. One word of caution to those who can afford care but try to price shop for services, Don’t. Be guided by who can best provide quality services. Taking care of someone during an illness may be life’s most difficult experience. During this trying time you don’t need a worker you need a partner. I suggest you seriously consider Caregiving experts LLC.”

Mario R.

George G.

“My sisters and I are so grateful to Caregiving Experts for their help, professionalism, and continued support on behalf of our beloved mom. We can’t thank them enough, but I’ll try: Karen Boshell has been a joy to work with: attentive, supportive, flexible, always available. Karen is adept at handling last minute scheduling changes, has consistently offered thoughtful suggestions, and is always available to answer our (many) questions, She is competent, efficient, experienced, and her high standards insure that our mom is receiving the highest level of care. It’s such a relief to know that Karen is there when we need her, and that she has our mom’s best interests at heart. As for our mom’s ‘helper’: Diana has been a godsend. Our family is blessed for real. Diana is so kind, so caring and patient and understanding with our mom, and with us, too. How did we get so lucky?How do we adequately thank somebody for taking such good care of the person we love so much? We’re so grateful for Diana every single day. We appreciate her kindness and dedication to the health and well-being of our mom. We thank her for every sweet gesture, every insightful word of advice, every moment she listens to our mom, guides her, assures her, assists her and helps her navigate unsettled waters. We can’t thank Diana enough, we know that, but we hope she knows how much we appreciate everything she has done and does for our mom. We truly do thank Diana, and Karen, and everybody at Caregiving Experts, who have proven their worth and expertise to us time and time again. We’re so glad we found Caregiving Experts. We know our dear mom is in capable and loving hands.”

K. E.

“I used Caregiving Experts recently to help with my 86yr old mother. She took a fall and hit her head. She stayed in the hospital for a few days then spent a week in rehab. I live about 4hrs away and was informed by the hospital they’d be discharging her with only a day’s notice. I was able to get my mother back home but wasn’t comfortable having her alone every day without someone checking on her for a few hours. Luckily when i called Karen from Caregiving she was able to meet me and my mom the day we took her home. That was literally with just 8hrs notice and they were still able to meet me in person. They were able to quickly set up a caregiver to start the next day. I used them for two weeks until I could make long term arrangements to move mom closer to me. They provided a terrific caregiver named Katelyn. Although mom live close to me now, If i was ever in the same position I wouldn’t hesitate to use them again. Thanks again Karen and Katelyn!”

Timothy M.

“I recently had to move my grandmother here from Tennessee, as I am now the only family she has. I was nervous and scared, I had two small kids and a full time job. Karen Boshell went above and beyond to make sure I was comfortable and informed about everything. She was literally available 24 hours a day for any questions or concerns. My grandmother received great care from this company and we couldn’t be any happier with our choice!!! Thank you Karen and Caregiving Experts!! ”

Samantha R.

Toni K.

“Finding Caregivers who are willing to work during this pandemic has been so challenging. The staff at Caregiving Experts have been so helpful and responsive.”

Susan B.

Kenneth B.