The pandemic has impacted just about every aspect of our lives in some way or another: physical, emotional, financial – you name it. The stress has been especially hard on those who are both working and caring for aging parents simultaneously.
Maybe you feel like you’re not able to fulfill either of these roles to the best of your ability. You might be wondering if it is even possible to obtain a healthy life balance between both of these important commitments in your life. And although we all know that taking care of ourselves is crucial to our wellness and peace of mind, who has the time for self-care while trying to meet the needs of everyone else?
If this sounds like your own internal dialogue, we recommend taking just several minutes to review the tips that follow to help you better manage both responsibilities.
- Check your financial plan. It may not be a conversation you want to have with the senior in your care, but it’s important to address the topic now before finding yourself in crisis mode. Is the senior financially secure, or should you be setting aside funds for future care needs? Does the senior have a long-term care insurance plan? Has any thought been given to preplanning/prepaying end-of-life expenses?
- Explore benefits. Both your parents and you as their caregiver may be missing out on available benefits. For example, the Canada Recovery Caregiver Benefit (CRCB) offers financial support to Canadians who are employed and require some time away from work to take care of a family member.
- Carefully consider the pros and cons of maintaining your career. The requirements of working while caring for aging parents lead many family members to quit or at least pause their careers. Yet this is not a decision that should ever be made lightly. You will lose not only your source of income, but your sense of self-identity will be impacted as well. There is an alternate approach to relieving the stress of trying to keep up with both roles: partnering with a professional care provider, like Serenity Home Care, to fill in the gaps in care.
As the leading provider of respite care in Saanich and the surrounding areas, Serenity Home Care is here to partner with family caregivers to allow for a healthy life balance. Let us provide a highly trained and experienced caregiver to offer care, support, and companionship for a senior loved one, allowing you to focus on work and self-care. The senior will receive the benefit of enhanced socialization, engaging activities, and more; a win-win! Call us for a free in-home consultation today at 250.590.8098.