Sharing Caregiving Responsibilities and Duties With Family - 5 Tips

Many family caregivers struggle with finding and maintaining the right balance when it comes to caregiving. There are so many factors involved when caring for an elderly loved one that it can be easy to become overwhelmed. And while no one wants to see their parents or grandparents go through anything uncomfortable, being a caregiver can also be very stressful. 

If you're caring for a parent or other senior loved one, you know it's not easy. And it can be even more difficult if you're also trying to juggle your career, children, and other responsibilities.

The good news is that there are ways to make it easier on yourself and the senior in your life. Here are five tips for sharing caregiving duties with family members:

Talk to your family about caregiving duties upfront.

Everyone must know what their responsibilities are when it comes to caring for their loved one. This will help prevent conflicts later on down the road when someone feels like they're being neglected or overlooked by others in the household.

Make a List of Duties before Delegating

Make a list of caregiving duties that need to be done. For example, if you’re loved one doesn't eat well, you can ask someone else to cook meals or buy groceries. Ask someone else to do it if you don't like doing laundry. If your loved one needs transportation, ask another family member to drive them places instead of always doing it yourself.

Choose one thing at a time to delegate so that everyone involved knows precisely what they are responsible for doing. It is helpful if everyone involved has some input into what they prefer doing this way; everyone feels like they're part of the process rather than just being told what needs to be done by someone else who may not know their preferences.

Be realistic about your expectations for how much help others can provide; don't expect too much from them at once! It's better for them if they do.

Make Sure Each Family Member Understands their Role

When it comes time to assign duties, ensure everyone is clear on their responsibilities. This will help keep things organized, so everyone can do a job independently.

Consider assigning tasks based on interest or skill level rather than age or gender. If one family member is more interested in specific responsibilities than others, consider letting them take those jobs. Likewise, if one family member has an aptitude for specific tasks such as cooking, let them handle those chores. In contrast, others focus on other caregiving areas that they may find less enjoyable but are still important.

Have Regular Family Meetings

Have regular family meetings to discuss tasks and schedules. This helps everyone know what they need to do and feel more involved. You can also use this time as a forum to discuss any issues that come up over the month.

Set up an online calendar so everyone can access it and see what needs to be done. Consider assigning specific tasks to certain days of the week or month, so everyone knows their responsibilities.

Enlist the Help of Siblings Who Live Far Away

Ask for help from siblings who live far away or can't help directly. If you have siblings who live out of town or overseas, have a full-time job, and don't have the time to help, ask him or them to send money towards paying for care services or food. This will help you out tremendously and relieve some stress from your shoulders.

Summary…

While family caregiving can be an extremely rewarding experience, it can also be a very stressful one. To make it easier for everyone involved, remember two simple words: communication and compromise. By communicating with those around you, you can distribute responsibility more evenly and raise awareness of the situation. And by being willing to compromise, you can find a balance that makes everyone happy and helps make the entire process more manageable.

Comfort Keepers can Help

At Comfort Keepers of Osseo, we have helped many family caregivers navigate providing the best support for their senior loved one. Through respite care, we help family caregivers take much-needed breaks from their caregiving responsibilities. Contact us to learn how we can help.