VA Home Care Program
Maybe it was your grandfather who served during the Korean War and now requires some extra care around the house. There are millions of veterans in the United States, and many elderly veterans who require some extra care at home. As a result, many family members try to step up and take care of their loved ones as much as they can.
According to the AARP, there are approximately 44 million family caregivers working right now in this country. Some estimations put that number closer to 68 million. Many of these family members do not receive any financial compensation for the work they provide, and it’s important to realize taking care of an elderly or disabled individual is a job and should be treated as such.
Wanting to take care of that elderly veteran in your life may certainly be a noble act and gesture, but if you have a number of other responsibilities going on in your life at this time, it could be affecting the quality of care you offer.
For example, if you have several part-time jobs or even a full-time job and some other responsibilities, you may only be able to stop by to check on your aging grandfather for a few minutes in the morning or, more likely, during the evening hours. What happens if he needs assistance getting out of bed in the morning and you’re not there? What if he has difficulty getting up from a chair?
It’s important to take an honest assessment of his personal physical capabilities. It’s also important to take an honest assessment of your own ability to take care of him. If you have many responsibilities in your life, you may be inclined to give up some of them, but you shouldn’t have to.
Hiring professional home care for veterans is one of the best options. Not only would your grandfather be getting consistent care at the same time every day from an experienced caregiver, especially if you hire through a home care agency, he will also likely be encouraged to pursue various interests and take part in activities he may have given up as a result of his physical capabilities or limitations right now.
If you take on too much, it can cause significant stress in your life and lower the quality of care your elderly grandfather receives from you. Sometimes the best thing is to simply be there for emotional support and rely on a professional, experienced caregiver to take care of the rest.
For more information and to learn about the VA Home Care Program, contact Veteran’s Home Care at (888) 314-6075.
