You Might Have Become a Caregiver Without Even Realizing It

​Forty percent of adults are looking after an aging loved one. It could be any relative or even a neighbor, but it’s usually a parent.
 
“I see a lot of stressed out 40- to 60-year-olds who are trying to manage a career, kids and their parents,” said Kim DeRoche, MD of Fairview. “I hear about it when a woman comes in for her ‘annual’ physical and hasn’t been in for three or four years. They know they’re not taking care of themselves the way they did before they had to take care of someone else.”
 
It’s especially challenging with seniors living longer these days and expecting to stay in their own homes longer. Someone has to step up to help with the things they can’t do for themselves. 

Do Any of These Sound Like Your Life? 

• Your shopping list includes somebody else’s groceries, too. 

• You’ve had to take time off work to drive someone to their appointments. 

• You’re not eligible for Medicare, but you’ve been Googling to figure it out. 

• You talk to your parents’ doctors more than you talk to your own. 

• You’ve covertly checked your parents’ fridge to make sure they’re eating right. 

• You have a hunch your parents aren’t staying on top of their bills like they used to. 

• You run as many errands for someone else as you do for yourself. 

• You need to but just don’t have time to find a dog- walker, hire a snow-shoveler, make sure your parent takes their pills twice a day, etc. 

• You don’t even know where to begin understanding your parents’ finances, helping them pick an insurance plan, etc. 

• It feels like you drive over to your parents’ house more than you get to be at your own. 

• Your siblings are starting to fight over what to do about mom and dad. 

• You worry about your parents more than ever. 


 
This can be a scary time, but you’re not alone. If you need help caring for your loved one, it may be time to consider a memory care center. You can find simple tips for having that conversation with your loved ones on our blog, and contact us for a one-on-one meeting to help you lift the burden off your shoulders.
 
It’s only natural to want the best for your loved ones, but you need to take care of yourself as well. Let Martin Luther Campus help your loved ones so you can focus on you and your family.
 
Martin Luther Campus is part of the Ebenezer family of Lutheran Senior Care Communities. We provide transitional care and assisted living apartments for seniors in Bloomington. We also have adult day clubs and memory care programs for seniors living at home. We’re located at 1401 East 100th St. Bloomington, MN. Are you interested in transitioning to assisted living or do you have a loved one that needs assisted living? Call us at  952.888.7751.