Caregivers: Dementia’s Secondary Victims - How Professional Home Care Providers Can Help in Woodland, CA and Surrounding Areas
Our Home Care Providers Can Help Family Caregivers in Woodland, Sacramento, Davis, and nearby cities
Nowadays more than 36 million people all over the world suffer from dementia. Unfortunately, according to some projections, this number could double in the next two decades. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia and more than 5 million people in the U.S. struggle with its symptoms. While the number of seniors with Alzheimer’s is high, the number of home care providers who look after them is even higher. About 15.5 million people are looking after their loved ones who have this disease while putting their own mental and physical health at risk.
Every year family home care providers spend more than 17 billion hours looking after their loved ones with Alzheimer’s. Taking care of a senior who has this condition is both physically and mentally exhausting, and many care providers are risking their health. Most family members are more focused on the loved one they are caring for than on their own well-being, which can lead to serious problems in the long run.
A lot of family caregivers who look after a person with dementia end up suffering from depression and stress and experiencing the consequences of social isolation. This is why they often decide to place their loved one in a nursing home. While this step can help them recover physically, it can have a serious psychological impact. After putting a loved senior in a home, they can experience guilt and anxiety and feel like they have betrayed a person they care about. In addition, they have to deal with financial problems caused by the cost of institutionalized care.
Therefore, it is highly important that family home care providers look after themselves first, so they could take care of their loved ones. One of the ways to do that is to get support from the medical community, family, friends as well as organizations such as the Alzheimer’s Association. If your loved one suffers from this illness, make sure you take good care of yourself by keeping your own doctors’ appointments. You also need to maintain a well-balanced diet, exercise several times a week, maintain an active social life and not hesitate to ask for help when you need it.
Hiring professional home care providers can also help you take a break from your caregiving duties while knowing your loved one is in good hands. By making sure you take the time to engage in activities you love, spend time with friends, eat well and live your own life, you will do yourself and your loved one a favor. This way you will stay in good shape and be able to provide them with the level of care they need and deserve.