It may certainly feel that way, but when elder care comes into the picture, it doesn’t mean the senior is reaching the end of their life.
It can certainly mean that in some cases, but that’s not a hard and fast rule.
In fact, many seniors who turn to elder care enjoy an improved quality of life. They are able to do more things than they had in the past.
Your mother might experience the same things. Right now, she may be having difficulty with her health, physical limitations, and other challenges. She might be struggling to walk smoothly. She may need help to do the laundry or other housekeeping tasks.
And maybe you’re the one who has been helping her. That is certainly a noble task and gesture, but what would happen if she had help on a regular, consistent basis.
Many family caregivers simply can’t offer consistent support.
It’s not that you don’t want to, but maybe you can’t. You might have other responsibilities. It might be your career, maybe a full-time ‘job’, raising children of your own, or something else.
If you think about elder care for her, the first thing you have to get out of your mind is that this is the end of her life. That is not the case. If she is in relatively good health, isn’t terminal, and needs support for some things around the house or throughout her day, this could improve her life tremendously.
Why do we seem to focus on worst-case scenarios?
So many of us do that, don’t we? We have a tendency to think about worst-case scenarios. We wonder, ‘What if’ followed by all of the bad things we don’t really want to think about.
That may be what’s happening every time you contemplate elder care options. But in reality, a lot of different jobs and job descriptions are encapsulated within the umbrella term ‘elder care.’
This could mean home care. Imagine your mother enjoying the companionship and support of a home care aide every morning. Imagine her not having to worry about feeling stiff, weak in her legs, and having to go to the bathroom or take a shower.
Imagine her feeling inspired to connect with friends, go for walks, and do other things she hasn’t been able to lately.
Imagine how you would feel knowing she is living life on her terms, even though you can’t be there because of your other responsibilities.
Elder Care: Conclusion
No, hiring elder care doesn’t mean your mother is reaching the end of her life; it could be simply the beginning of a new chapter.