Home Care La Jolla CA : Being Prepared Ahead of Time Can Eliminate Stress

Home care providers offer such exceptional support and assistance for your parents and give you so much peace of mind knowing your elderly loved ones are in good hands even when you are not available to care for them that it is easy to feel dependent on them. Even after just a short time of being in a care relationship with a caregiver you may start to think “What would I do without her?” and even automatically include her in plans for activities, outings, and even vacations because she takes such good care of your parents.

The reality is, however, that home care providers are just normal people, too, and sometimes they need time off. Whether it is because of illness, injury, family obligations, or a vacation for herself, there may come a time when your home care provider is simply not available for a particular shift  an extra outing or activity you have planned. When this happens you may feel upset, worried, and nervous about how you are going to do the things you need to do and also make sure your parents are cared for in the way they need and deserve. With some careful planning ahead of time, however, you can quickly eliminate this worry and be prepared for that inevitable phone call.

• Meet with several providers. During the hiring process, ask the home care agency to recommend several care providers who are compatible with your parents’ needs and scheduling requirements. Meet with all of them and create a list of your preferences. While you want your first choice to be your parent’s primary care provider and a second choice to be a supplemental care provider if your parents need extensive care 7 days a week, having others who you like, are comfortable with, and who get along with your parents ensures you have others to choose from if you need a fill-in
• Ask for plenty of notice. While a care provider is not going to be able to tell you when she is going to get sick or when there will be an emergency with her children, she can let you know when she plans on going on vacation or if she needs particular days off for religious holidays. Ask her to let you know with plenty of time so that you can put the proper plans into place to cover her absence
• Notify your work. Be honest with your work team. Let them know that you are a family caregiver for your elderly parents and may need some flexibility when it comes to working from home, taking half days, or arranging your vacation time so that you are able to step in if there is an emergency and your parents need care while the agency locates another suitable care provider
• Get family support. Make sure the care provider has the phone numbers of other members of the family or of neighbors you know so that if there is an emergency and she needs to leave as quickly as possible, she can get in touch with someone to come care for your parents even if she is unable to get you. Even having a neighbor stop by and have a cup of tea with your parents until you can arrive or another care provider can step in eases the anxiety of the situation and ensures your parents are not left alone if they need constant care.

For more information about how the caregivers at La Jolla Nurses Homecare can help your aging parents remain in their own homes, call 858-454-9339. We are a home care agency providing quality and affordable home care in La Jolla, CA, and the surrounding communities.

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La Jolla Nurse Senior Home Care

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