How to De-stress the Holidays for Caregivers

Holidays can be a stressful time, especially when dealing with the uncertainty of an ill loved one. We encourage caregivers to eliminate unhealthy stress in their lives this holiday season by helping dispel some of the myths about in-home care.

Guilt: You may feel guilty asking for professional help when your loved one is injured, disabled or sick.  If you are the caregiver, you might try to care for your spouse or parent all on your own and you can burn out quickly.

Spouses or adult children feel like it is their duty and try to handle difficult health care needs all on their own. We want you to know it is actually healthier to ask for help—it will allow you to spend quality time with your loved one instead of ‘nursing time’.

Outsiders: You may hesitate to get home nursing care because you are nervous about having outsiders in the home. Fortunately, you have the right to choose the caregiver you feel most comfortable with. At Mission Healthcare, you can interview as many caregivers as necessary until you find the perfect fit. 

Cost: Another major roadblock that may keep you from letting go of the stress of caregiving is the fear that the services will cost too much. Most insurance providers will cover home health services and individuals do not need to be hospitalized to qualify for home health services.

 If you are using Medicare—you have paid into this system your entire life to be supported one day—you deserve to use these services.

Home Care for non-medical care in the home, such as grooming, bathing, meal preparation, and surgical aftercare is another option you have, which is not covered by insurance but can be very affordable. With Mission Healthcare it only costs $20 per hour with no minimums, where assisted living facilities can cost $3,500 per month.

Being able to stay in a comfortable and known surrounding is extremely important to someone who is experiencing great mental or physical changes. They recover quicker and are able to maintain their quality of life.

Research shows that even for those living with chronic illness or disability, living at home is often the best option for physical and mental wellbeing. Some of the benefits of in-home care include:

• Provide individuals needing care with dignity and independence.
• May help prevent or postpone expensive hospital or nursing home care.
• Allows maximum freedom and comfort for the individual.
• Offers individualized care tailored to the needs of the individual and family.
• Provides professionally supervised services.
• Supports families while keeping them together.

Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, New Years are full of love, family and STRESS. Take the first step—look into extra help and enjoy your loved ones this holiday season.

Happy Holidays from the Mission Healthcare Team!