Caregiving is a meaningful journey, one that provides numerous rewards as well as many challenges. No two caregiving situations are unique, yet most caregivers experience six common stages. Caregivers can expect to encounter the following stages while providing care to an aging loved one.

Meeting the ongoing care needs of an elderly parent, spouse, or friend is filled with ups and downs. By understanding the inevitable trials and tribulations many caregivers experience, individuals providing care better know what to expect on their journey ahead.

Stage 1: Expectant Caregiver

The first stage is an anticipatory one. A family member may notice an aging loved one declining in physical or cognitive health. Preparations are made to assume the role of caregiver in the near future. The expectant caregiver plans ahead to ensure the senior remains comfortable and independent.

Expectant caregivers start to make inquiries to the appropriate professionals, such as elder law attorneys and financial consultants, regarding the elderly loved one’s financial affairs, estate planning, advanced directives, and wills. The caregiver also reviews the aging person’s insurance policies.

The services of a geriatric care manager can be especially helpful to the expectant caregiver who needs advice with short- and long-term care plans. The professional makes home visits and suggests needed services, addresses emotional concerns, and coordinates medical services.

Stage 2: Freshman Caregiver

The freshman caregiver has just begun assisting the aging loved one at home. As a newbie, the caregiver initially undertakes a few responsibilities, such as running errands, preparing nutritious meals, and accompanying the senior to doctors’ visits, physical therapy, and other appointments .

It’s essential to construct a solid network of support, as the senior’s care needs will only increase over time. Enlist family and friends to help with care tasks. Join a support group. This is the stage to continue learning more about the senior’s condition and how to deliver the right care.

Being new to the role, a flood of questions may arise as well as fears about handling unfamiliar tasks. Discuss concerns with the senior’s doctor and be prepared to map out steps in case of an emergency. Coordinate with the family on how care responsibilities will be distributed.

Stage 3: Entrenched Caregiver

No longer the newbie, the entrenched caregiver is fully invested in caregiving duties. Care routines have been established and fewer questions arise. Along with demanding schedules are increasing levels of constant stress. The entrenched caregiver can begin to feel her own health decline, as a result.

A wave of negative emotions can overwhelm the entrenched caregiver. Feelings of anger, frustration, and resentment can arise. Caregivers may even feel guilty that anger has gotten the best of them. Anxiety, depression, and burnout are expected feelings during this stage.

Entrenched caregivers can ease the burden placed on them by being aware of their limitations and reaching out to the established support network for assistance. On bad days, caregivers should practice self-forgiveness and make time for rest, leisure activities, and abundant self-care.

Stage 4: Pragmatic Caregiver

The fourth stage is when the caregiver has a firm grasp on what the role realistically involves. The pragmatic caregiver knows what to do and allows room for imperfections. Laughter is shared with the care recipient and the caregiver understands how to find joy in the moment.

Stage 5: Transitioning Caregiver

Realizing that the need for care is coming to an end defines the fifth stage of caregiving. The transitioning caregiver recognizes that the senior’s care needs have extended beyond what she can provide; or, the caregiver may feel that a loss is near.

Feelings of anticipatory grief arise as the transitioning caregiver experiences a sense of loss. The caregiver is inundated with a wide range of complex emotions, some of which can be painful for everyone involved. It’s time to acknowledge grief and simply be with the elderly loved one.

Caregivers at this stage should not attempt to make it through alone. It’s important to lean on support, either from caregiving support groups or professionals. Look into full-time live-in care or in-home hospice care to ensure end-of-life comfort for the senior.

Stage 6: No Longer a Caregiver

In the final stage of the caregiving journey, the caregiver is no longer a caregiver. The role has ended, and a period of mourning has begun. This stage is accompanied by emotions, such as grief, loss, and heaviness—while also being filled with relief and a feeling of ease.

Individuals who once provided care should take the time necessary to fully grieve, which helps them move on to the future. The influx of emotions is neither right nor wrong, but valid. Honor the memory of the loved one by sharing the acquired knowledge of caregiving with others.

Serving as a caregiver is a joyful experience, albeit one that comes with a series of hurdles. When you feel overwhelmed by care responsibilities at any stage, respite care from Assisting Hands Home Care will be a relief. We offer flexible and affordable respite care services.

Turning to respite care is beneficial for not only the family caregiver but the elderly care recipient. Having time for self-care activities and hobbies refreshes the family caregiver, allowing her to return to caregiving duties with greater energy for hands-on care and an improved outlook.

Respite care includes a range of nonmedical care tasks. Our professional caregivers shop for groceries, prepare balanced meals, perform light housekeeping, provide transportation, and give medication reminders. We also offer discreet help with personal hygiene tasks, like bathing, toileting, and grooming.

Our respite care is a seamless transition from family caregiver to professional caregiver. We pick up where you left off, ensuring the senior continuously receives the highest quality care. Whether you need an hour to exercise or a weekend to attend an out-of-town event, respite care is the solution.

Families with seniors living in to , including BallenIsles, Boynton Beach, Jupiter, North Palm Beach, Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, Royal Palm Beach, Singer Island, Wellington, West Palm Beach, and  FL, and the surrounding communities routinely utilize the compassionate respite care from Assisting Hands Home Care. Schedule a complimentary in-home consult with us and learn how our private home care services will benefit you and your loved one.