Looking after an elderly parent can be as difficult on the carer as it is for the patient. Round-the-clock-care requires a lot of time, patience and compassion, not to mention nursing skills. Needless to say, caring for somebody is very stressful and can be draining on your time and resources.
Aged care agency helps remove some of the stress from families by providing qualified caregivers to offer professional support, advice and assistance. Not only does this allow you as a carer to share the burden, but offers reassurance to both carer and patient.
Professional nursing agencies are also flexible so you only need to work with them as little or as often as you need. They also provide care for various reasons such as end of life care and post-surgery after care together with medication management and wound management – which is safer in the hands of a professional.
Post-surgery care
Not all hospitals and clinics offer after care for patients recovering from surgery, or they send them home after a couple of days. Regardless of the type of surgery you have had, complications such as infections, or open wounds can occur. A professional carer can determine if a post-surgery scar is not healing well and could prevent an infection.
Aged care agencies work closely with your medical team and tailor a care program recommended by your doctor or surgeon. Not only does this give you peace of mind, but some agencies will even offer a transportation service to collect you from the hospital or airport and be on hand to take you shopping, prepare meals and a few household chores such as vacuuming and ironing.
Respite and relief
Caring for the aged means you as carer will have to adapt your schedule, and although you do not like to think of your parent’s ailment as a burden, the extra duty does add a lot of pressure to your life both physically and mentally.
Professional carers can relieve much of the pressure and give you a respite care Victoria as and when you need it. Having someone to fill in for you is great if you have other obligations that you cannot get out of.
Having a fresh face around can also be a breath of fresh air for you and the patient. A new body about the place helps change the dynamic of the environment and in most cases the company will bring pleasure to the patient, especially if your mum or dad lives alone and don’t get many visitors.
Aged care agencies also do their best to pair the patient with caregivers that have similar interests and personalities so that elderly patients have someone they can talk to and look forward to the visits.