The Care Quality Commission (CQC) recently reported that 70% of people who have chosen care for themselves or a loved one thought it was the most stressful decision they’ve ever had to make.
April is Stress Awareness month, which is why we are helping support those who have decided that a loved one can no longer live alone. To help those considering a nursing home as the next step, we have compiled a series of informative blogs to help during the process of making the decision, how to find the right nursing home, settling into a nursing home and dealing with everyday life in a nursing home.
Take your time
There’s no denying that considering care options causes stress for everyone involved. It’s important that you take time for yourself and use different techniques to help you cope with the situation. As a parent, we care for our children and nurture them as best we can. Roles often become reversed as parent’s age and children begin to care for them. This can be both physically and emotionally difficult when trying to balance other aspects of your life with the care of your loved one.
Share the load
Don’t be afraid to admit that you are finding it difficult to continue caring for your relative or friend. Considering alternative care options can often be accompanied by feelings of guilt, causing stress and frustration.
Top Tip: Confide in your family or close friends – sharing the way you are feeling will often make you feel a little better. Talking to another person will help you to rationalise your thoughts and be realistic in what can be an emotional time.
Keep notes
As our loved ones grow older, perhaps a parent or a friend, their needs can change. Adapting to these changes can be difficult and requirements to alter routines often depends on the type of change experienced.
Top Tip: Keep a diary or note of when you notice changes. If the need for assistance increases, you can look back through events which will help in the decision process, ensuring the correct level of care assistance is provided.
Ask the professionals
Alternative care solutions can help your relative or friend to stay in their own home as long as possible but sometimes these don’t offer the level of care needed. Deciding to look at care homes is a difficult and emotional subject for everyone involved and comes with a lot of questions.
Top Tip: Contact professionals. Speak to your local doctor or care company and ask for an assessment to ensure you are choosing the best options to suit your loved one’s requirements.
At Morris Care, our team are also happy to talk through your options with you. At Morris Care, we provide tailored packages to suit the needs of those requiring residential or nursing care. If you have reached the decision that a care home is the best solution, contact us today and we will be happy to talk through the options available.
In our next sequence, we will delve deeper into the questions you need to ask and what information you need to know when choosing a nursing home.
