Over the past year, 65.7 million Americans have served as caregivers to a sick or elderly relative. However, you can’t always balance life as a new mom, taking care of your family, going back to work, and caring for an elderly family member alone. With an overnight caregiver there to help you, you won’t have to balance it all alone.

Instead, an in-home caregiver is there to provide your older family members the assistance they need. With their help, your family members will feel comfortable and you can reduce stress. 

Ready for a break?

Keep reading to discover the five benefits of hiring an in-home caregiver.

1. Constant Supervision

In order to ensure your elderly family member maintains a good quality of life, they’ll need help throughout the day. For example, they might need personal care assistance with:

• Bathing
• Taking medications
• Brushing their teeth
• Dressing

With help at home, they can maintain their evening schedule. 

Continuous, hands-on care is especially important if your loved one has Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia. In many cases, you can’t leave a dementia patient alone too long. They might try exploring at night, only to forget how to get home. 

Some seniors need help using the bathroom at night. When they need to get up, their in-home care provider is there to help. A qualified caregiver will provide mobility assistance, including helping the senior maneuver throughout their home. 

This way, they have the support they need to remain safe. No more bumping around (and potentially falling) in the dark!

Trouble Sleeping

An overnight caregiver is ideal for patients who have trouble sleeping at night. They can also help if the patient wanders. If your elderly loved one struggles with nightmares or sleep disturbances, you might also want to consider an in-home caregiver.

When your loved one experiences a sleep disturbance at night, the caregiver will provide them with reassurance. The caregiver’s presence will alleviate your loved one’s disorientation and anxiety. Without someone there, they might not feel safe or struggle to fall back asleep. 

Meanwhile, your loved one will still have the choice to live at home and maintain their independence. 

Dementia often affects a person’s sleep. It can also cause seniors to walk around aimlessly. While waking up occasionally is normal, it can often lead to exhaustion and wandering.

Both could put your loved one in jeopardy. Your loved one might fall in the dark, get lost, or find themselves in dangerous circumstances.

An overnight caregiver will keep them safe.

Forgetfulness

Dementia can also lead to forgetfulness. For example, your loved one might forget to leave the door unlocked or the stove on before bed. An attentive in-home caregiver will monitor their environment.

2. Professional Medical Care

An in-home caregiver has the experience and expertise necessary to provide your loved one with professional medical care. 

Some patients require continuous supervision. For example, a patient who is prone to seizures can benefit from a professional’s watchful eye. The overnight caregiver can help your loved one cope at night if their medical condition escalates. 

As their family member, you’ll have peace of mind knowing your loved one isn’t alone at night.

Instead, they’ll benefit from the help they need, when they need it. 

An in-home caregiver will also make sure your family member keeps to their medication schedule. It’s common for seniors to forget to take their medications, especially if they’re alone.

However, there are some medications they must take regularly. For example, your loved one can’t skip their anti-seizure or blood pressure medications. This could result in dire consequences.

A trained overnight caregiver will know your loved one’s schedule. They’ll remind them to take their medication at bedtime so ensure they maintain their health. 

3. Share Responsibilities

Trying to take care of everyone on your own could impact your health. In fact, 36.7% of caregivers reported getting insufficient sleep. Your mental and physical health are also at risk, especially if you’re neglecting your own needs over someone else’s.

If you don’t maintain your own health, you’ll struggle to take care of everyone else.

You can’t check on everyone every minute of the day. You need to sleep. However, you’ll also want the peace of mind that your loved one has help if they need it.

An overnight caregiver can step in to help you balance the responsibilities.

With an in-home caregiver, you won’t have to worry about your loved one’s health or safety. The caregiver is there to make sure the senior is taken care of. By taking these evening responsibilities off your shoulders, you can get the rest you need at night.

Then, you’ll feel recharged and energized to pick up your daily responsibilities when the sun rises!

4. Previous Experience

If this is your first time taking care of an elderly loved one, you might feel lost at times. It helps to have someone there with previous experience. 

An at-home caregiver will have prior experience with patients. They’ll also have experience handling patients with different conditions and needs.

For example, dementia can impact seniors in many different ways. Your loved one might experience personality changes. Emotional outbursts are common as well.

Do you know how to react to these changes? What if your loved one tries arguing with you when it’s time for bed? An at-home caregiver can help you, relieving the stress off your shoulders. 

Otherwise, leaving a dementia patient at home alone could leave them at risk of a potentially dangerous situation. 

5. Lower Cost

Using a single, in-home caregiver for a few hours each night can help you save money. Instead of paying for 24-hour care, you can focus on the hours when you most need help. The overnight caregiver will help during the evening.

Then, you can take care of your loved one during the day.

Help at Home: 5 Ways Your Family Can Benefit From an Overnight Caregiver

Discover the help you need, when you need it most! By hiring an overnight caregiver, you can make sure your elderly loved one is never left alone. Instead, they’ll take their medications each night, remain safe, and receive the care they need.

Then, you can balance your responsibility as a new mom, a career-driven employee, and a caregiver!

Don’t wait to give your loved one the help they need. Contact us today to get started.