7 Ways Residential Assisted Living Facilities Support Family Caregivers

Residential assisted living facilities offer far more than senior care. With their strong sense of community, compassionate teams and expert caregivers, they can provide much-needed support for the devoted family caregivers of aging seniors. If you have found yourself feeling overwhelmed or isolated in your caregiving role, residential assisted living could be the perfect next step for both yourself and your aging loved one.

Here are 7 ways residential assisted living communities offer vital support to family caregivers:

1. Providing a listening ear and emotional support. Taking on a caregiving role can be difficult and highly emotional. Seeing a loved one’s health decline is tough in itself, and being responsible for their care is often a source of stress and worry for family caregivers. It’s not uncommon for caregivers to feel they have no-one to turn to, with many also feeling unable to open up about the realities of caregiving to close friends or family. The professional caregivers in residential assisted living fully understand the struggles family caregivers face, and often become an integral part of their support systems. Sometimes, all you need is a cup of coffee and a friendly face to talk to, and most residential assisted living communities have plenty to offer!
2. Reducing the pressure of caregiving. Oftentimes, caregiving can become a full-time job. It’s common for family caregivers to feel torn between their care responsibilities and other important commitments like their professional life, raising children and nurturing close relationships and friendships. As a senior loved one’s needs progress, it might start to feel like there just aren’t enough hours in the day. Moving your loved one to a senior living community in Colorado Springs will allow you to attend to your own responsibilities, safe in the knowledge that your loved one is receiving all the care they need.
3. Supporting families with financial concerns. Along with the emotional and physical demands of caregiving, many family caregivers worry about the financial aspects of senior care. Residential assisted living facilities provide valuable support to help answer important financial questions families have.
4. Opening doors to a great social support network. Caregiving can be isolating, and feelings of loneliness are common amongst family caregivers. Oftentimes, as a senior relative’s needs become progressively more complex, family members gradually need to spend more time carrying out caregiving responsibilities. This can result in a diminished social life, at a time when being surrounded by friends and family could be of great benefit. When your loved one moves to a residential assisted living facility in CO, it will open up great social opportunities for both of you. By getting involved in the community, you will get to know other families in a similar position, and many family caregivers form great relationships with their loved one’s professional caregivers, too. Often, residential assisted living facilities also host social and recreational events and activities aimed at families.
5. Supporting you and your loved one with decision making. The aging process can bring up difficult questions and big decisions for families. For example, seniors may need to move to a nursing home, specialist memory care facility or hospice setting as their medical needs become more advanced. These types of decisions can be tough to make alone, and it’s sometimes hard to know when to make the call. If your loved one is in a senior living community, professional caregivers will be on hand to offer support and guide you through the process.
6. Easing the physical demands of caregiving. As a loved one’s mobility worsens, many family caregivers find their role becomes more physically demanding. If your relative is no longer able to carry out activities of daily living independently, you may have found yourself having to battle with inaccessible spaces to ensure your loved one can wash, use the bathroom and get a good night’s rest. Unfortunately, family caregivers are at an increased risk of physical injury, and with the hands-on nature of the role, it isn’t surprising. In residential assisted living, highly trained caregivers will be available to assist your loved one with activities of daily living safely, and within specially adapted spaces. Meanwhile, you will be free to take a step back from the physically risky side of caregiving, focusing instead on spending well-deserved quality time with your loved one.
7. Helping you enjoy time with your loved one. On the subject of quality time, when you’re serving as a loved one’s primary caregiver, it can be difficult to enjoy precious and truly relaxed time together. It might feel almost impossible to juggle your senior relative’s care needs with other responsibilities. If your loved one moves to a senior living community with professional caregivers, you will be granted the time and freedom to enjoy activities, outings and simple quiet time together.

The benefits of opting for residential assisted living are vast, and when thinking about senior living for your loved one, be sure to consider how communities can support you, too. After all, it’s difficult to pour from an empty cup, and the more well-supported you feel, the more you and your loved one will be able to enjoy the precious moments together that you deserve. To find out more about how we ensure family caregivers are supported during their loved one’s retirement, get in touch or arrange a visit today.

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