Of course, you love them. They are your parents. Your grandparents. Maybe your spouse. Your oasis in a storm, the people who have loved you all your life—or maybe he or she is the love of your life. And now? Roles have changed; you have become a caregiver.
And you are exhausted.
Your light is flickering and about to go out as you burn that candle at both ends. Senior Care Partners P.A.C.E. understands and supports you in this journey, by lifting the pressure and weight that comes with taking care of someone that used to take care of you—especially when they have made it clear to you that they do not wish to be put in a nursing facility. They would rather age in place.
You took on the caregiver role because you couldn’t imagine not doing so. And putting your loved one into a facility just didn’t feel right.
You may have someone important in your life who once cared for you, maybe even changed your diapers, bandaged your scraped knee, taught you life lessons, supported you through school, teen angst, broken hearts, maybe even illness.
Now it’s your turn. You must not complain. Not their fault they have Alzheimer’s, dementia, or some other acute health issue that has made them dependent on your loving care.
Oh, but you are exhausted, so exhausted, and you need help.
That’s where we come in. We have seen so many of you come through our doors, seeking respite. We recognize those stooped shoulders. That sadness in your eyes. Fatigue, anxiety, stress, depression—these are all the common symptoms of what is known as caregiver burnout. These are also red flags that you should not ignore. And you don’t have to—because there is help. For both of you.
What led you to burnout? At first, the demands were not so bad. You could work it in between your career and maintaining the household. But the needs increased, there weren’t enough hours in the day, and you were beginning to miss sleep hours. Stretched too thin.
Sometimes it came down to a lack of skills. You’ve done your best, but there are times when you could use a medical opinion as the disease progressed. The switch of roles could be confusing, too. It’s not easy to tell a parent—you can’t do this, you must not do that, you’re not able anymore.
As a result, you’ve noticed that you are getting sick more often. Your immune system has taken a hard hit from all that stress and lack of sleep. You may be dealing with depression, and you catch yourself lashing out at your loved one, even as the next moment you are overwhelmed with guilt.
The moment you meet with a Senior Care Partners P.A.C.E. (SCPP) representative, hope flickers and you will feel a sense of relief. Because we offer solutions. We offer an integrated, long-term, comprehensive geriatric health care program that allows your loved one to live at home for as long as medically and socially possible.
Our interdisciplinary team works with your loved one and their support system by taking care of the whole person. When your loved one is supported and cared for, their support system reaps the same benefits.
With locations in Battle Creek, Kalamazoo, Portage, and Albion, participants of SCPP receive the necessary care, such as rehabilitation, personal care, home care, social interactions, home care, transportation to our day center as well as other medical appointments.
Feeling better?
One of our favorite things to see is how our care for your loved one improves and restores relationships with caregivers. You get to be their son or daughter again. Their spouse. Their soulmate. Roles are restored, and you can get back to enjoying each other’s company.
Call our referral line at 269.441.9319 or see our referral form online at seniorcarepartnersmi.org. We can help.
