Watching our parents age can be difficult. Age brings a reality that things are changing, even if we do not want them to. The changes in age sometimes can threaten our parent’s independence, and that’s when many adult children step in. Our goal is simple – we want to help our parents maintain independence as long as possible. Sometimes we need to give them a little assistance. Caring for an aging parent from a distance can be difficult. Our parents often need additional support with appointments, medication, and daily needs. Maintaining this and keeping them supported can be challenging. Communication can be a barrier in long-distance caregiving if a plan is not made.
Challenges of Long Distance Caregiving
Caring for an aging parent has many challenges. Often, we worry if their daily needs are being met. Then when emergencies arise, we feel like we can’t do enough. In both situations, you may feel like you are missing the necessary information to make the best decisions.
Communication gaps and distance cause us to wonder if we are capable of caring for our loved ones properly. Managing work, family, and remote caregiving responsibilities can is taxing our schedules. Often adult children of elderly parents wonder if they can manage the needs of everyone in their life well.
Long-Distance Caregiving Requires Support
If you are caring for an aging parent from a distance, you need support. This support will help you restore balance in your personal life and help your parent get the care they need.
Hiring a personal care companion is a great way to restore a balance. Companions can help your loved one retain their independence and support in appropriate ways to ensure that their daily and medical needs are maintained. They can also support family communication through regular updates.
This balance allows adult children to return their focus to the encouragement and emotional support of their loved ones. The rebalancing helps your loved one have multiple people supporting them emotionally and physically.
Effective Caregiver Communication
Establishing good caregiver communication is an important part of long-distance caregiving. Your parent’s personal care companion will benefit from being given a detailed medical history and any general information you can give them about your parent’s likes and dislikes.
In the areas where you have identified that support is needed, set clear expectations about what you expect from the personal care companion. Share with them what you have tried in the past, what has worked, and what has not.
These expectations will help the companion move quickly into an effective caregiving relationship with your parent. In turn, that will allow you to feel confident that you are performing as a long-distance caregiver.
Finding a Personal Care Companion
Finding a personal care companion by yourself can be difficult. Companion need to be a match for your parent in both their skills and their interest. The companion will develop a relationship with your parent beyond meeting their basic needs. They will work to develop common interests that keep your parents active physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Most long-distance caregivers find that connecting with a home health care agency in their loved one’s area is the best way to connect with qualified personal care companions. These agencies scope companions and know how to match the senior and caregiver beyond just the senior’s medical needs.
Exceptional Care for Aging Parents with Christian Provider Services
If you are in the Houston area, we would love to help you find a companion caregiver for your loved one. At Christian Provider Services, we believe in finding the right caregiver to support each senior. We work hard to get to know both parties and ensure that the match meets the senior’s physical, mental, and emotional needs. If you would like our help, please give us a call today.f
