Do you remember how important alone time was for you as a teenager? The peace you felt in your place of solace where you could blast the music and write your day away in your journal is a peace that you still need as an adult.
The desire for privacy that began then may become overshadowed when providing care for someone else. Yet it’s still extremely important to be able to separate yourself both mentally and physically from your caregiving role to take some time for yourself.
How Can I Maintain Privacy While Caring for Older Adults?
It’s not always easy, honestly. It’s natural to spend all day with your eyes and ears opened and ready to help the person you care for. There are several steps you can take to help, however. Try:
- Block off places of privacy for you and the person you care for. Privacy is just as important for older adults as it is for caregivers. Agree that whenever either of you needs some alone time, you can retreat to your chosen spot and only interrupt one another in case of an urgent situation.
- Discuss rules for shared spaces. Basic rules can make a big difference in shared living spaces. For instance, take turns selecting TV shows to watch, so one person isn’t monopolizing the remote. Compromises similar to this are likely to make time together less stressful for everyone.
- Don’t forget emotional privacy! Make sure to take regular breaks from care that enable you time to disconnect completely from your caregiving role. Go on trips, attend activities and events with other friends and family members, take a book to the park for a pleasant afternoon. Superior Senior Home Care’s care experts are always on hand to fill your caregiving shoes as you take some time for self-care.
Special Considerations When Caring for Older Adults With Dementia
When an older adult is living with dementia, maintaining privacy may be more challenging, but it’s also more imperative. The individual may need 24/7 oversight to ensure safety, but this doesn’t mean that you should (or can) provide that amount of care yourself.
People caring for older adults with dementia often feel as though they have no one to lean on when they need help. This is when our highly trained and experienced dementia caregivers are an invaluable component of your care team. We can partner with you to guarantee the consistent, skilled, reliable care a senior with dementia needs, while you take the regular breaks from care you need.
Contact us online or at 805-737-4357 to get more caregiving tips and assistance in acquiring a healthier life balance. Our personalized home care services are offered in Lompoc, Santa Maria, Nipomo, and the surrounding areas.