The Importance of Family Caregivers

As your loved one starts to get older, there are several things that you need to take into consideration. The older that your loved one gets, the more physical help they will need around the house. This is particularly true if they have experienced some type of previous health issue. While there are plenty of quality healthcare agencies out there, there are many families that simply don’t feel comfortable with having a stranger come into the home of their loved one. Therefore, there are many family members who step up to care for their loved ones so that they can continue to maintain their quality of life.

What is a Family Caregiver?

A family caregiver is a family member who makes the decision to commit themselves to caring for another family member. Family caregivers can come in many different shapes and forms. There are some family caregivers that are only needed part-time while there are many others who need to physically move in with their loved ones so that they receive the around the clock care that that person needs.

If you decide to become a family caregiver, it’s important that you give yourself the support that you need as well. A family caregiver can be an emotionally and physically draining responsibility in your life which is why it’s key that

Why You Should Consider a Family Caregiver

There are several advantages of having a family caregiver instead of having an outside agency care for a loved one that may need more physical health. Here are just a few reasons why so many families opt to incorporate this option into their care plan:

• Family caregivers can reduce healthcare costs
While you always want to ensure that your loved one gets the best possible care, hiring a professional healthcare agency is something that can be incredibly expensive. Instead of paying for an outside entity to see to these responsibilities, an experienced family member can manage them without the additional cost associated of paying an agency.

• Family caregivers can help to keep your loved one home longer
There are many older individuals who simply don’t feel comfortable with the premise of leaving their house for an assisted living or nursing home facility. Utilizing a family caregiver can help your loved one to stay home and feel more comfortable overall. Being home and being around familiar settings can help your loved one feel physically and psychologically better.

• Increased trust
Older individuals often have a lack of trust for those that are outside the realm of the people that they interact with on a regular basis. When a family member steps into this care role, it avoids discomfort associated with trust issues.

Keep in mind that while it’s true that there are benefits associated with being a family caregiver, this is a decision that you should always make in agreement with other family members. Having a group decision that this is the right option for your loved one gives you the most amount of support when it comes to moving in this direction.

Finalize Your Care Plan Today

As part of your care plan for your aging loved one, you should always ensure that the estate plan for that person is set up and ready to go when needed. Our estate planning team understands the importance of having a family caregiver if possible while also being conscious of the critical aspect of estate planning. If you have more questions about the importance of a family caregiver or you’re ready to commit to putting together an estate plan, we encourage you to get in touch with our office today to book a consultation!