You're not alone. Many of us assume the responsibility of caring for our parents without really knowing what we could experience in the future. It starts like this. You may be the only adult child living close to your aging parents. You notice they are having increasing difficulties with day-to-day functions. It starts with the frequent trips to doctor appointments. Then it evolves into taking your senior parents to the pharmacy for their medications. Then it involves a trip to the grocery. And while you are at their home, you do a few chores for them, like doing the dishes or their laundry. Soon, it snowballs into more and more assistance activities. It's only natural to help your parents. But what happens if this progresses into something more. What if they begin to have trouble dressing? Or bathing? What if they need help getting out of bed? What if they are confined to their easy chair all day long, watching TV, because they can't get out of the recliner without help?

"I'm providing all the care giving for my parents. I'm stressed. I'm over-worked but I feel guilty if I don't do this. I'm the only one my parents can rely on."

Adult children spend increasing amounts of time helping their senior parents with these types of daily activities. At what cost? You have a job. You have a family. You have a life to live. But most importantly, you have a relationship with your parents that you need to consider. So the question is: are you a caregiver or a son/daughter? Do you spend so much time taking care of your parents' needs that you lose that special son/daughter/parent relationship? And with the gradual assumption of care, you also can experience other emotions. Do you resent the responsibility? Do you feel guilt for not attending to your own family's needs? Are you happy? There is an alternative. It's called senior homecare. The senior homecare option consists of a caregiver who arrives at your parents’ home and assists them with specific, non-medical activities. Many of these activities are ones that you have been taking upon yourself. They can range from grooming to cooking to driving for appointments and errands. The best services are provided by professional homecare companies, who can provide specific caregiving services. The most reputable senior caregiving companies provide their clients with caregivers who are screened, trained and managed by experienced care managers. A qualified caregiver can attend to your Senior parents physical needs in addition to emotional ones. Simply providing companionship can make a dramatic impact on your parents daily life. And you benefit also. By off-loading and sharing caregiving responsibilities, you now have the opportunity to enjoy a less stressful, more fulfilling relationship with your parents. Many adult children are now aware of this option. It is a one of the fastest growing sectors of healthcare and it can be a liberating solution for many adult children. When it comes to choosing the right senior homecare provider, it is important to make the right decisions. To make those choices, you need to know what questions to ask and what to look for. That is the goal of our series of articles. To help you become more informed about the Senior Home Care alternative.

Lee-Anne Godfrey, RN BSN
Director of Quality Assurance & Education
Salus Homecare