CAREGIVER SUPPORT
Are you an adult child needing caregiver support? You woke up one morning and wondered, "How did I become responsible for the care of my aging parent?"
At the same time is your parent saying, "I don't need any help. I've taken care of myself all my life."
Do you feel overwhelmed, suffering from caregiver stress or caregiver burnout while trying to do the best for both you and your elderly parent?
No one was ready for the changes imposed by the aging process. You, as the caregiver to your elderly parent and your parent facing the many changes of aging may be asking, "Why didn't anyone tell me how bad this would be?" Meeting these challenges can bring out both the best and worst in everyone. And, yes, positive change is possible! And, yes, you can learn how to cope with caregiver stress!
The good news as well as the bad news is, as a family you are all on this journey together. Along with the new and challenging situations, old family dynamics may resurface, complicating an already stressful situation . Your parent may refuse to move to an assisted living facility or nursing home. You may be an only child or the only one of your siblings willing to help with care giving. While circumstances can't be changed, the negative behavior and views can be changed so the older person can experience a sense of well-being and the adult child can find a balance in the care giving process.
WHERE DO I START? HOW DO I START?
First of all, you are not alone! What you probably need most is the emotional support to deal with the stress of caring for your loved one. As a therapist I am here to help both you with caregiver support and for your elderly parent to cope better during this difficult period. With counseling I can help you address your negative feelings and prevent caregiver burnout. Burnout occurs when the caregiver doesn’t get the help needed with the daily needs of their loved one. It is a state of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion. Feelings can turn from positive to negative while feeling unconcerned. Additionally, I can provide senior counseling services for your aging parent to help them adjust to these new "beginnings." I bring 30 years of experience working with the older population and their families in both home and facility settings. To meet the needs of the elderly parent, therapy can be provided at home, in the assisted living facility or nursing home. At this time due to COVID-19, all therapy is provided through phone and telehealth.
If you are interested in setting up a free 15-minute phone consultation, send me a message through my free contact form.
