A Professional Caregiver is Often Cheaper than Family Care

Caring for an elderly loved one takes up a lot of time. In fact, it takes up so much time and energy that many people find that they need to leave their jobs, or at least cut back on how much they are working, to assist their older family member. In some cases, this decision is an easy one to make. There are no financial struggles, and spending time with someone they love is more important than time spent elsewhere.

 

This is a rare occurrence, though. It’s not that we don’t highly value our loved ones, but that this kind of financial freedom is rare. Unfortunately, most people need to devote time to a career in order to have the money needed to care for ourselves and our families. Many of us love our careers, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t love our families. This is a tough jam to be in. How do we care for a loved one and still provide the income needed to care for everyone else?

 

If you have ever found yourself in this situation, or you currently find yourself in this situation, you are not alone. Thousands of people struggle with this conflict every day. It isn’t an easy one to solve, but sometimes thinking about it from a different point of view can help. For example, have you ever thought about the fact that maybe you are not the most qualified caregiver out there? Sure, you love your mom, but that doesn’t mean that you have the same training that a professional caregiver does!

 

Family care is important, but it’s not always the best choice.

 

The truth is, being a caregiver is more than a full time job. You might not be getting paid to care for a loved one, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not work. In fact, it’s one of the most physically and emotionally demanding jobs out there. Working another job while caring for a loved one is really difficult, even in the best of situations. There are studies out there that indicate that over a yearlong period or longer, it is more expensive to quit your job and provide care for a loved one than it is to continue to work and hire a professional caregiver to assist while you are away. The idea that senior care is unattainable because of expenses is actually negated through these studies. Having a caregiver that helps out not only can be a money saving act, but it can allow you to continue to pursue a career that you love.

 

This kind of balancing act is not easy. Turning over the direct care of a loved one to a professional is never easy or enjoyable. But it is often an act of love. When you have a caregiver that you trust to provide the best care, you are giving your parent the care that they need, all while continuing to help yourself and the rest of your family. This is not an abandonment of your duties, but rather a way to fulfill them more efficiently. If these are things that you’ve been concerned about in the past, looking at them this way will help to ease your mind.

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