Tempering Frustration when You’re a Caregiver

By Jamie Shapiro | February 19, 2015 | Comments Off on Tempering Frustration when You’re a Caregiver

Glenview, IL – Tempering Frustration when You’re a Caregiver

In everything we do in life there are going to be moments that cause frustration. How a person deals with frustration can go a long way towards determining whether they handle the situation in a positive or negative manner.  For a family caregiver, they might not consider the prospect of getting incredibly frustrated with their elderly loved one, but it can happen.  That family caregiver is focused on ensuring that their loved one is safe at all times, but the elderly individual wants to do certain things because they realize there is still so much life left to be lived.  This is one of the most common reasons why people get frustrated when providing some type of care at home for family members.

What does it mean to focus on safety first?

It is incredibly important to ensure that the elderly individual is safe at home. What exactly does this mean? There are many things people can do to help ensure safety for other people, and one of the most common has to do with keeping a loved one from over-exerting themselves, trying to do too much, or taking part in activities that might be deemed risky or dangerous.

Even if the elderly family member requires a walker to get around, that doesn’t mean he or she has to remain at home in order to be safe. A lot of people with various physical limitations can still do a tremendous amount in and out of their home.

If the senior is adamant about going to the store to buy food, visiting with friends, taking part in various community projects, or anything else, a family member who tries to keep them from doing these things could develop a frustrating scenario.

How to temper frustration.

One of the best things to do is try to put yourself in that situation. Try to take a moment and figure out what the senior in your life may be experiencing. Now, try to understand how you might feel if other people were telling you what you could or couldn’t do, even if you are fully confident in your abilities. It would likely cause you to be frustrated with the situation.

This doesn’t mean a family caregiver should allow their elderly loved one to haphazardly do any number of activities, but they can often do far more than people believe.  Hiring an experienced home care provider can go a long way toward reducing the risks of becoming overly frustrated, not just for the caregiver but also for the senior.

If you or an aging loved one are considering caregiver services in Glenview, IL, contact the caring staff at Companion Services of America today at (847) 943-3786. Our home care service area includes Northbrook, Highland Park, Deerfield, Glenview, Buffalo Grove, Evanston, Des Plaines, Skokie, Lake Forest, Wilmette and the surrounding areas.

Jamie Shapiro
Latest posts by Jamie Shapiro (see all)
Posted in Caregiver Glenview IL and tagged