How Do You Handle Having to Move Away from Your Parent?

Caregivers in South Plainfield NJ

When you took on the role of being a family caregiver for your elderly loved one, you may have envisioned your future with them and what it would look like as their needs progressed and your care efforts increased. What you might not have anticipated was moving away from them. Whether you need to relocate because of an opportunity in your career or your partner’s career, your children need you elsewhere, or some other reason, if you suddenly find yourself in the position of moving away from your parent, you are at the beginning of a whole new journey. You are now not just a family caregiver, but a distance family caregiver.

Being a distance family caregiver presents a host of challenges and limitations that go beyond those of a conventional caregiver. You must continue to meet your parent’s needs, ensure that they are safe and healthy, and manage their care, all without being able to be in the home with them on a regular basis. Taking the time to prepare for this experience before you leave is an important step in ensuring that your loved one continues to get the highest quality of care possible and that you can manage your caregiver stress effectively throughout the rest of your care journey.

Use these tips to help you handle having to move away from your parent:

• Start talking about it early. Give as much time as possible for both you and your elderly parent to get accustomed to the idea of you no longer living close. Talk about it early so that both of you are able to process emotions and have time to come up with concerns that you might have and the challenges that you might face. This way you can work through them, talk about them, and make both of you feel more prepared for the experience ahead.

• Create a support network. You might not have thought about reaching out to others for help when you were living close to your parent, but now that you are going to be distance caregiver, you need that additional support. You will not be able to check in on your parent, provide them with transportation, or help them manage tasks on a regular basis. Reach out to friendly neighbors, friends, and family members who are in the area to find those who are willing to lend a helping hand when your parent needs it.

• Start home care. If your aging parent needs direct care and assistance, an in-home care provider can give that to them. Starting this care before you leave allows you to help that care provider get into the routine that you had with your parent so that their care remains as consistent as possible. This also gives your parent the opportunity to strike up a relationship with this care provider or take note of issues that they might have so that you can make changes to the care arrangement as necessary before you move. This ensures that when you do leave you feel confident your parent’s needs are going to be met in the way that you know they deserve.

If you or an aging loved one are considering caregivers in South Plainfield, NJ, please contact the caring staff at Care Street Home Care of New Brunswick today. Call (732) 607-8870.