Like most things in life this varies by person and situation. Those of us who have worked in this field for a while, though, recognize some common signs.
If you are thinking about it – needing help that is, chances are your instincts are leading you to fulfill a need. As a caregiver, if you find yourself feeling edgy, tired, anxious or short of temper while caring for someone, it is time to check into care options.
It is never too early to investigate care options. Knowing about services before you need to use them is very wise indeed.
Like many things in life, we often wait until we truly feel and understand our need for something before we go after it. We want to be absolutely sure!! By then we are usually pretty sure, however we are often quite behind in the planning process.
These guidelines might be helpful to you.
1. Do you find yourself lacking joy in your life? Depression can be an insidious process and moves in comfortably without a person being any the wiser.
2. Do you find yourself becoming angry with the person you are caring for? Are their behaviors or constant questions becoming quite annoying?
3. Are you feeling exhausted or having trouble sleeping? Are you feeling anxious?
4. Do your friends or colleagues notice a difference in you?
5. Is your health suffering? Does your immune system seem suppressed?
6. Are you having trouble organizing and getting things done?
7. Are you feeling stressed regularly?
8. Are your relationships suffering?
These are a few signs that you are in need of support. Support groups are in abundance and a place where you can find understanding, camaraderie and much needed resources.
Day programs are a wonderful resource. You can bring the person you care for to such a program so that you can both enjoy a bit of respite. It very often means that it is time to hire help in the home. Sometimes this can be a small amount of help with a lot of benefit. Other times more attendant help is needed.
A Geriatric Care Manager can help you navigate the steps in reducing and/or eliminating the warning signs in your life. He/She can help you figure out whether the time has come to utilize some caregiving support and how much that may be. Remember, that making an inquiring phone call is not a commitment; it is just a phone call. However, it is a very important step to take – it can’t hurt and can only help.