For many adults, watching your parents age is a beautiful and difficult time, especially when your loved one starts to need more help doing the things they once enjoyed doing on their own. This often puts adult children of aging individuals in a hard-to-navigate situation, leading them to ask, “How will I know when it’s time to ask for professional assistance to make sure my aging loved one gets the care they need for a happy and fulfilling life?”.

How to Know it’s Time for Help

Finding your aging loved one the right in-home care professional will ensure that they stay safe, healthy, and happy while still maintaining their independence. How do you know when it’s time to bring in a caretaker for your senior loved one?

1. You are taking on the role as their primary caregiver and you’re starting to feel burnt out or exhausted by it.
2. The level of care that your loved one needs is increasing and they are beginning to be able to do less on their own.
3. A health professional recommends bringing in professional care or you have concerns about your loved one’s health, safety, and overall well-being.

The Benefits of In-Home Care 

The most important thing you can do is release any feelings of guilt you have around needing to seek professional in-home care services. You are not letting your loved one down by asking for help. Take time to consider how your elderly loved one feels about this transition as well. Professional in-home care will prevent them feeling as if they were a burden to you, and having a professional caregiver come into your home can allow you to spend more meaningful time with your aging loved one creating memories together that you will cherish. 

How to Find the Right Caregiver

Once you have decided that it’s time to bring in a professional in-home caregiver and you have had a meaningful conversation with your aging loved one about why this is an important next step to help them maintain their independence, it’s time to decide who the right caregiver is for your family’s needs. Consider asking the following questions when choosing a non-medical, in-home care provider:

• What kind of training and experience do your caregivers have?
• If a caregiver is not a good match for my family, will you find a replacement that is?
• What in-home care services do you provide?
• Do you genuinely care about what is best for my family?
• In what ways can you help my aging loved one in activities of daily living?

At HomeSpark, we understand that bringing a professional caregiver into your home is a difficult decision to navigate. That’s why we prioritize building trust with you and your loved one before we ever set foot into your home. We happily conduct home safety assessments to ensure the well-being of your aging loved one and provide consultations so you have a chance to make sure we are the perfect fit for your loved one’s needs.
We offer companionship, personal care, meal preparation, transportation, and respite care services, and will help your loved one with household duties. Our highly trained caregivers also offer the option of 24/7 care and personalize all our care plans to meet your needs. Contact us today to request a consultation.