Benefits of Hiring a Caregiver for In-Home Help
It always begins on a small scale.
- You tell your mom to cook nasi lemak, your favorite dish, but she serves you laksa.
- Your dad, who has been paying bills his whole life, is becoming increasingly forgetful of his task.
- Your grandma has never missed your birthday. This year, though, she wasn’t the first person to wish you; she wasn’t even the last.
- Your datuk used to help you with gardening every Sunday. However, you’ve been doing it alone for the past few weeks.
If you’ve noticed any of these signs in your loved one or something about them seems ‘off,’ it may be time to hire a live-in caregiver.
(For more information about live-in caregivers, please check out our blog: Hiring a Caregiver for the First Time? Here’s What You Need to Know)
They can significantly affect the patient’s and the employer’s lives.
Here’s how you can expect a caregiver to ease your burdens:
- 1. Freedom
Just because your loved one has gotten old doesn’t mean they wish to stay cooped up in the house all day. On the contrary, they still want to go out, albeit on their own terms.
That’s where a live-in caregiver comes in.
Whether visiting a friend or taking a stroll in the park, the caregiver will stay with the patient 24/7.
This way, the senior citizen won’t have to depend on anyone else, which would help maintain their sense of freedom.
And you won’t have to check in every few minutes to ensure they’re doing okay.
- 2. Companionship
As parents grow old, so do children. They get married, and the same boy who couldn’t even tie his shoelaces without requiring assistance is running after his child to tie his shoelaces.
Although it’s a circle of life, parents often feel neglected and unwanted because of this.
But a caregiver can help fight the loneliness.
In addition to assisting your loved one with their daily tasks, a caregiver practically becomes their friend.
Together, the patient and the caregiver can play games, watch movies, or pour their hearts out to each other.
- 3. Transportation
Due to the age factor, an illness, or a disability, your loved one may not be able to drive anymore. Asking them to hand over the keys of their vehicle will be heartbreaking.
Fortunately, the patient doesn’t need to give up transportation entirely. Accompanied by a caregiver, they can go wherever and whenever they want.
This way, by maintaining an active social life, the older adult would not harbor negative feelings like anxiety, depression, or loneliness.
Furthermore, you would be relieved from taking your parent to places, including the hospital or a friend’s house.
- 4. Comfortability
When your loved one requires more care than you can provide, you’ll be tempted to admit them into a nursing home. However, it’s not the best decision, and the person for whom the decision is being made will say the same.
(We’ve discussed this in detail in our blog, Live-In Caregiver or Nursing Home: Which Is Better?)
Think about it: you’ve lived somewhere comfortably and peacefully your whole life. And then, one day, you’re told to leave it for good.
Wouldn’t that come as a shock to you?
That’s precisely how the senior citizen will feel.
On the other hand, when you hire an in-house caregiver, they won’t have to make any changes to their lifestyle, let alone residence.
- 5. Health
A live-in caregiver reminds patients when to take medicine and helps administer it. But those who are on an advanced level and have received special training can also perform the following tasks:
- Monitor and record vital signs
- Administer insulin for managing diabetes
- Drain urine through a catheter
This means in an unfortunate case where the patient’s condition exacerbates, the experienced caregiver would provide immediate assistance. And sometimes, these skills can help keep an individual stable until they’re taken to a hospital.
So, in a way, a caregiver can save an individual’s life during life-or-death situations.
- 6. Peace
Until now, we’ve discussed how hiring a live-in caregiver can help the patient. But what about the employer? Do they receive any advantages as well?
Well, you’d be glad to know that, yes, they do.
And on top of that list is peace of mind.
Being a caregiver is a stressful job. But at the same time, you have to perform it to the fullest, considering it concerns your loved one’s overall well-being.
Consequently, it’ll drain your energy, making you feel fatigued and disconnected from those around you.
All these problems have one solution: an in-house caregiver.
Your worries will wash away with their arrival.
- 7. Hope
“Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.”
Desmon Tutu
Aging is a natural phenomenon, but that doesn’t stop people from dreading it.
It’s like having the Sword of Damocles hanging over your head, which could fall at any time.
But there’s someone who can make the time easy to pass by – a caregiver.
Apart from being qualified and friendly, they are sympathetic.
A caregiver understands what your loved one is going through and helps them see the light at the end of the tunnel.
And to be honest, we could all use someone like that, one who encourages you to count the rainbows, not the thunderstorms.
The Ball Is in Your Court
Your loved one deserves the best possible care, and hiring a live-in caregiver is a surefire way of making it happen. Not only would it prove invaluable for them, but you, too.
As for where you can hire qualified and trained caregivers, Top Faith is the name to remember. Our team consists of compassionate individuals who have made helping others a dominating part of their personalities.
We promise to make you proud of your decision.
