Sometimes Saying ‘No’ to being a Family Caregiver is an Act of Love

Caregivers in Needham, MA – Recognizing Your Limitations when it comes to Caregiving is a Difficult, yet Important, Step

For Cheryl, life was already busy. She was constantly running around, taking her kids to one activity after another, working two part-time jobs, and still managed to make ends meet. When her father required a caregiver, there was plenty of pressure on her from him and other family members to take this role on.

Most of it was because she lived not too far away from him. Her sisters didn’t understand why she wouldn’t just stop in and check on him from time to time. This made her feel guilty about her decision, and almost caused her to give in.

However, she thought about it long and hard, talked to some other friends of hers, and determined that she had to say no. As much as she cared about her father, she knew she wasn’t the one who would be best at providing in-home care for him.

For Cheryl, she understood that saying no could also be an act of love. She had been telling her kids this for a long time. It is tempting to want to say yes to provide in-home care for an elderly loved one because you may feel guilty if you don’t or because you want what is best for them.

If you are like Cheryl and simply don’t have a lot of free time on your hands, it may be that encouraging your loved one to hire a professional caregiver is the best option. If you feel guilty about your decision for any reason, remind yourself why you said no in the first place. You may not have the experience or time to be the best caregiver for that family member.

If your loved one needs care but doesn’t want to leave the comfort of their own home, hiring a professional caregiver through an agency can be one of the best options available.