Caregiver in Granite Bay CA
Becoming a family caregiver for their elderly parents is not something that most people ever even consider when they are younger. Most people look up to their parents with a sense that they are 
simply always going to be there, or that they are “invincible” in a way and will never age to the point of needing care. Suddenly, however, something happens that forces them into realizing that their parents truly have aged and that they are facing challenges and limitations that are making it difficult, or even impossible, for them to continue to live on their own safely and successfully.
Facing this reality can be incredibly difficult. Whether it is a diagnosis of a chronic illness or condition, increased symptoms of decreased cognitive functioning, or signs that your parents are having physical or mobility challenges, it can be hard to hear that your parents are no longer the active, vibrant, and vital people that you have known, and that they are going to need extra help. This can put you into a period of denial where you refuse to truly acknowledge what is happening or take steps to handle it.
According to the Mayo Clinic, denial can have some benefits. A brief period of denial can protect you from psychological trauma and help your mind to subconsciously work through a difficult situation so that you are better able to process and act on it later. This can allow you to put the thoughts aside for a short time so that you do not completely fall apart and revisit them later when you are better prepared. If this brief time becomes a chronic issue, or you are unable to confront an urgent or time-sensitive situation, however, your denial can become damaging.
Denial in your caregiver journey can prevent you from being honest with yourself and your loved ones about the amount of care that they truly need, stopping you from making the proper arrangements that will keep them safe, happy, healthy, and at their best throughout their aging years. Learning to overcome this denial allows you to step fully into your caregiver role and give them the highest quality of life possible.
Use these tips to help you overcome denial in your caregiver journey:
• Evaluate the reason. Why are you going through denial? What about the situation is causing you to want to deny what people are telling you or refuse to accept what you already know? It could be that you are afraid that you would be unable to handle the pressures of being a caregiver, or that you do not feel emotionally prepared to accept the situation. By finding why you are in denial, you can better work your way through it.
• Talk about it. Many people feel that by refusing to admit what they are going through, they can make a situation less “real”. Open up and talk about the situation. Feel your emotions fully and express them to your parents, your partner, your friends, or a professional and let them help you go through these emotions so that you can use them to better approach the situation.
• Get support. Denial is not easy, but neither is finally pushing past it to deal with the situation at hand. Make both easier and less mentally and emotionally trying by seeking out support. Look into a caregiver support group comprised of people going through the same types of things so that you can rely on their experiences and gain a sympathetic ear.
If you or an aging loved one needs caregiver services near Granite Bay, CA, remember Senior Home Care Services. Call us at (916) 514-7006 for more information.
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