A common emotion expressed by families over and over again is guilt for no longer feeling able to manage mom or dad’s needs on their own, while simultaneously maintaining the pressures of their own lives.  The term ‘sandwich generation’ describes the demographic living with the challenges of having responsibilities for aging parents while simultaneously raising children and/or grandchildren of their own.

The reality is that once a caregiver moves forward with the decision to move their loved one into a senior living community that can meet their needs, their relationship with the individual often improves greatly.  The major stresses that the caregiver often bears tends to overshadow the ability to maintain a positive and meaningful relationship.   Quality visits can replace the quantity of time you formerly spent managing the endless activities of daily living (bathing, toileting, dressing, organizing/tracking medication regimens, shopping, cooking, cleaning, laundering, etc.).    It is also important to note that loneliness, and even depression, often diminishes when living in a community setting as the social interactions that occur through the life enrichment offerings and mealtimes are very valuable to emotional wellness.

Cambrian Senior Living located in Southeastern Michigan offers assisted living and memory care services in both the Tecumseh (Lenawee County) and South Lyon (Oakland County) areas.  For more information on Cambrian Senior Living, visit CambrianSeniorLiving.com.

 

3 Reasons to Stop Feeling Guilty About Putting Mom In Assisted Living

By DailyCaring.com (Voted 2018’s Best Caregiving Website)

It’s one of the hardest decisions of your life

Moving your older adult into assisted living or a skilled nursing facility (aka nursing home) might be one of the hardest decisions in your life. When caring for them at home becomes dangerous or nearly impossible, it’s absolutely necessary to move them to a place where they can get the care they need.

Even if this is the best decision for their health and for yours, the guilt and sadness can still be overwhelming. It takes time, but there are ways you can help yourself accept the decision.

3 reasons for guilt and the reality behind them

Here are three common reasons and some example scenarios why caregivers feel guilty about moving their senior to assisted living. We explain why those reasons aren’t true and why your decision was unavoidable.

1. You’ve failed in your duty to care for them

• I promised Mom I’d always take care of her.
• Dad asked me to never abandon him.
• When we got married, we promised that we’d always be there for each other – in sickness and in health.

You haven’t failed. Moving someone to assisted living doesn’t mean that you’ve failed to take care of them. It means you’re making a smart decision to get them the level of care they need.

You still spend as much time with them as you can, talk frequently with the staff, and manage their overall care. You are taking good care of your older adult and you certainly haven’t abandoned them.

2. You’re not as good a caregiver as you should be

• My friend Sarah takes care of her Mom at home. I should have been able to keep doing it too.
• My brother thinks I’m being lazy and just don’t want to take care of Dad at home anymore.
• My husband’s daughter (from a previous marriage) told me that she’s angry that I’m dumping her dad in a home.

You are a great caregiver. Everyone’s situation is different, so it’s not fair to compare yourself to others. It’s also important not to pay too much attention to people who don’t help and don’t understand the real situation.

Your senior may have more serious health conditions or need a much higher level of care than is possible for you to provide. If your health is suffering or if someone could get injured, it’s time to make a change.

Moving your older adult protects both of your health and safety and allows them to get the care they need. Besides, if you don’t protect your own health, you surely won’t be able to keep caring for them.

3. You feel their health wouldn’t have gotten worse or would have improved if you hadn’t make the move

• Mom wouldn’t have gotten the flu if she was still home with me.
• Dad would be eating better and not losing weight if I was still taking care of him.
• My wife would still recognize me if she had stayed at home with me instead of moving here.

That’s not true. It may be true that things would be different if you’d kept them at home. But that doesn’t mean things would be better than they are now. It could actually be much worse.

Remember, you made this decision because their health and safety was in danger. Making a change is what had to be done to prevent something terrible from happening.

Bottom line

It hurts when you have negative thoughts and feelings about a decision you were forced to make. Your heart will need some time to catch up with what you know in your head.

Understanding where the guilt is coming from gives you the chance to remind yourself about the reality of the situation. Over time, you’ll be able to fully accept the decision. That goes a long way to easing guilt and reducing stress.

 

This article by Ava M. Stinnett gives helpful guidance to promote a successful bathing outcome with someone living with dementia.  Over the past 18 years Cambrian Senior Living has been caring for those living with dementia, and we can share first hand that earning the trust of the individual is paramount.  This takes time to build, and it requires tremendous patience.  And keep in mind that even with this trust you may not always be successful, that is why accepting a twice a week bathing routine as acceptable will reduce stress for both you and your loved one.

Cambrian understands the many challenges that accompany living with dementia, and that is why we designed our apartment bathrooms with an open concept euro style bathroom to promote success with bathing.  A few common issues those living with dementia often experience about bathing is a fear of water splashing onto their faces, as well as being enclosed in a small space creating a claustrophobic experience.  Cambrian’s spacious bathroom area has a drain in the floor allowing the shower to occur without needing to step into an actual shower space.  And, the shower head can be hand held allowing water flow to be controlled avoiding the facial area.

Cambrian Senior Living is located in Southeastern Michigan and specializes in caring for individuals living with various forms of dementia.  With locations in both Tecumseh and South Lyon, Michigan the affordable excellence offered is absolutely worth the drive from the surrounding areas.  For more information on Cambrian Senior Living visit CambrianSeniorLiving.com.

Bathing a Loved One Who Has Dementia
By Ava M. Stinnett

Caregivers face various challenges when providing assistance for someone who has Alzheimer’s disease. One particular activity that can be very stressful is bathing. There are numerous behaviors that indicate a loved one is frustrated or confused, such as hitting or kicking, verbal agitation, and crying or rocking.

As a caregiver, it’s important to remember why bathing is important. “Doctors recommend older adults shower or bathe a minimum of twice a week to reduce the chance of infection, especially urinary tract infections in women,” says [Carole] Larkin, geriatric care manager at ThirdAge Services and trainer of caregivers in home care companies, nursing homes, and memory care communities. “If you can get them to bathe more, kudos to you. If not, be satisfied with twice a week, unless another medical condition demands more frequent bathing.”

If you see any of the behaviors listed above, you’ll want to determine the cause. Some common triggers include unmanaged pain, feeling too hot or too cold, feeling awkward or embarrassed, and confusion about what is happening. The same goes for hair washing and drying.

Larkin provides some tips to help caregivers minimize frustration for both patient and caregiver.

• Tell the person what you are going to do, step by step, and allow him or her to do as much as possible.
• Involve the person in the bathing process. Larkin suggests that caregivers have the person try to wash themselves first … That gives them ownership of the task and something they can succeed at.
• Follow up on the positive reinforcements so that your loved one gets rewarded for complying … Always praise and compliment them after the bathing is done.
• Some people are extremely modest … Respect their dignity by allowing them to cover up with something while in the shower or bath.
• Plan the bath or shower for the time of day when the person is most calm and agreeable. Be consistent. Try to develop a routine.

Continue to adapt your methods by observing your loved one’s behavior over time.

Sources

Larkin C. (2018). ThirdAge Services. Retrieved from http://www.thirdageservices.com/about/about.htm

Alzheimer’s Society. (2018). Washing and bathing. Retrieved from https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/daily-living/washing-and-bathing