One of the more frustrating aspects of caregiving can be when you ask for help from other family members and they can’t seem to get it. There are plenty of reasons for that and there are some steps you can take to help family members overcome those reasons.
They’re Afraid to Mess Up
You may or may not remember what it was like to start out as a family caregiver. You were probably always afraid of doing the wrong thing or messing up. Your other family members are in much the same situation right now. They’re not sure how to be certain they’re doing the right thing all the time and it’s really stressful for some people. That fear of making a mistake can cause them to hold back.
They Don’t Know What to Do
Besides that fear of doing something wrong, family members may also be unsure what exactly to do. This also goes back to those feelings you might have had at the beginning of your own caregiving journey. You had to learn as you went, and so too might some of your family members. It can help if you give them defined tasks that they can do where you spell everything out clearly.
They’re Oblivious to What Caregiving Entails
Some family members may have no idea at all what caregiving entails. They may have never encountered caregiving before or they may simply be unaware of what it means to take care of someone on this level. Educating your family members can help a great deal, as can having them around while you’re there and taking care of your senior.
They’re Not Convinced You Really Need Help
Still other family members may see you as a bit of a superhero. They see all that you do and all that you manage and they may believe on some level that you don’t really need help. This can be frustrating for you because even though you’re doing all you can, you can’t keep up that pace forever without a little bit of help. Again, educating these family members about what you deal with on a daily basis can help a lot.
Remember that although it would be nice to have help from other family members, you do have other options. Elderly care providers can step in seamlessly for you and tackle a wide range of different tasks. They can even help you to spot ways you can be more efficient and save some of your own energy, too.
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