As a senior living community, we know summer can be demanding for family caregivers. With finer weather often comes an uptick in social family events, and the extra time spent with a senior loved one may highlight how their needs have changed over the past year.

When your loved one’s needs have increased, you may feel like you’re spreading yourself too thin to keep up – often called ‘caregiver burnout.’ If you’re struggling with burnout, considering assisted living may benefit you and the senior you care for.

Here are five signs that you might be experiencing caregiver burnout.

1. Your physical health is suffering. If you have caregiver burnout, you might feel low on energy or catch colds and flu more frequently. If your loved one requires a great deal of physical assistance each day with things like getting in and out of bed, showering, or moving around the home, you might also notice increased muscle aches and pains. These physical symptoms of burnout may be even more pronounced if you have a chronic physical health condition.

2. You’re finding it hard to stay positive. The health implications of being a family caregiver aren’t all physical. The mental strain of caregiving can be just as (if not more) challenging. If you’ve noticed yourself feeling increasingly anxious or irritable or having feelings of depression, hopelessness, or guilt, you might be experiencing caregiver burnout.

3. You’re struggling to sleep. There are many reasons why being a family caregiver might impact your sleep schedule. Perhaps you’re feeling anxious about your loved one’s health and safety during the night, wondering what the future might hold, or worrying about your ability to provide adequate care. Alternatively, you might be too busy and overwhelmed with caregiving and other responsibilities, leaving you late, waking up very early, or finding it hard to switch off in the evenings.

And while sleep is often the first thing sacrificed to create extra time, it’s crucial for maintaining physical and mental health. A healthy sleep schedule may lower your risk of physical illnesses, including coronary heart disease, obesity, and high blood pressure while protecting your mental well-being, immunity, and ability to focus on tasks.

4. You feel isolated from your social circles. As your aging relative’s care needs change, you might sacrifice the social and recreational activities you love. Being connected to a supportive social circle is a key contributor to positive emotional well-being and can nurture feelings of self-esteem and belonging. What’s more, life as a family caregiver can be physically, mentally, and emotionally challenging, and having the ability to talk things through with others is often highly beneficial.

5. You need more patience when caring for your family member. Many family caregivers feel guilty for becoming irritable when caring for a senior relative. However, frustration is a common stress response, and it certainly doesn’t mean you love them any less. If you’re feeling rushed or overwhelmed by piling responsibilities and unfinished tasks, it’s only human to feel a little impatient sometimes. While it’s normal to feel irritable occasionally, frequent feelings of impatience or frustration suggest you use some extra support.

Still, trying to decide whether you need support as a family caregiver? Ask yourself the following questions and consider your answers. If you need help to remain objective, ask a relative or close friend who knows you well to help.

Are you feeling tired, drained, and low on energy? Are you getting sick more often than usual? Are you struggling with muscle aches and pains? Are you having feelings of anxiety, depression, or hopelessness? Are you seeing friends or family members as much as you want? Are you getting quality sleep every night, and do you wake up feeling well-rested? Are you becoming impatient with the loved one you care for? Do you need to improve your ability to provide the right level of care? If you have any mental or physical symptoms causing concern, consult your physician for further advice.

How can Senior Living Help Family Caregivers? When considering assisted living senior care, it can be tempting to focus solely on the benefits for seniors themselves. Moving to assisted living can be incredibly beneficial for seniors and family caregivers. As a family caregiver, you deserve to feel secure knowing that your loved one is always safe, and their needs are met even when you’re not around. You should be able to enjoy your own free time, stay connected to friends and family, and have space to nurture your mental and physical well-being.

Seniors in assisted living communities can remain independent while having access to organized activities, great social groups, nutritious meals, and activities of daily living (ADL) support tailored to their needs. With extra support available to meet your loved ones’ physical, social, and emotional needs, you can benefit from a better life balance. Ultimately, this will give you time to focus on making memories with your parent or loved one, free from the stresses of being solely responsible for their care.

The Benefits of Moving to Argent Court Assisted Living Include:

A calendar of activities coordinated by onsite activity managers. Gourmet, chef-prepared meals, including residents’ favorites, served each day. Great, convenient amenities, including a laundry service and a beauty salon. We’re happy to accommodate small pets and understand the value of the companionship they offer. Use the contact form or give us a call to speak to a member of our friendly team and arrange a guided tour today.

A 2017 survey by AARP found that more than a quarter of people over 50 had felt lonely during the holidays at some point in the previous five years. With the festive season associated with social gatherings, friends, family, and increased socialization, findings like this might come as a surprise. But faced with challenges like grief, loss of independence, reduced mobility, and lack of transportation, many seniors find themselves struggling to connect with others during the festive holiday season.

As a family caregiver doing your best to make your loved one’s life as fulfilling as possible, it might be upsetting to consider that they could still feel lonely. It’s important to note that loneliness is common among seniors, and it doesn’t mean you’re to blame or doing anything wrong. There are many reasons why a senior may feel isolated or lonely, many of which have nothing to do with being physically alone or unsupported by loved ones.

You are not the problem, but you can help your senior loved one find a solution. Loneliness and Social Isolation: What’s the Difference? Loneliness and social isolation are often used interchangeably but are subtly different concepts. Socially isolated people have few social connections and interactions. While social isolation can undoubtedly lead to loneliness, it’s also possible to feel lonely without being socially isolated or to be socially isolated but not feel lonely.

Risk Factors for Loneliness in Seniors Several factors may leave seniors feeling lonely. These include: Living alone Losing a spouse, family member or friend Having few close relationships Living a long distance away from family Chronic illness Loss of hearing (and other sensory impairments) Consequences of Loneliness for Seniors The physical and mental consequences of loneliness can be significant for seniors. Citing a 2020 study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) noted that social isolation was linked to an increased risk of dementia, heart disease, and stroke. It was even associated with a chance of premature death that rivaled obesity, smoking, and physical inactivity. Loneliness has also been linked to higher rates of anxiety and depression among seniors.

How to Help Ease Holiday Loneliness for a Senior Relative Encourage Honest and Open Discussion Societal expectations of being surrounded by loved ones and full of festive cheer during this time of year can worsen feelings of disconnection and loneliness. If all a senior sees around them is laughter and fun, it might feel difficult to open up when something bothers them; they might feel like a burden or be reluctant to ‘bring down the mood.’

Fostering an environment where they can express their emotions all year round may help them feel more comfortable sharing their feelings in the future. If you think something is wrong, gently encourage them to express their concerns. Please don’t force them; be sure to pay full attention and actively listen. Talking about what’s causing them to feel lonely or upset around the holidays could be the most crucial step towards addressing it as a team.

Help Them Feel Needed and Included If a senior feels unable to contribute anything to the family’s holiday celebrations, or if they can’t get involved as much as they once could, it may cause them to feel more isolated. Consider how you can help your aging parent or relative take part in the preparation and delivery of holiday traditions.

For example, they can help prepare food, hand out gifts, or decorate the venue. Even if they cannot help, something as simple as asking their opinion on what dishes to serve or what games to play may help them feel valued and included.

Signs That It’s Time for Assisted Living Senior Care With everyone coming together to celebrate, families often pick up on changes to a senior loved one’s health and well-being during the holidays. While it’s typically more challenging to spot differences as a family caregiver who sees them daily, fresh eyes from visiting relatives can help.

Here are just a few signs your loved one may need a higher level of senior care: They seem unsteady on their feet at home or when attending social events. Their personal hygiene or grooming habits have changed. Your parent, who typically puts great effort into their appearance, attends holiday parties looking less put together. Your typically houseproud parent or relative’s home could be more organized and cleaner. They’ve lost a noticeable amount of weight without a reasonable explanation. They’re behaving out of character, perhaps withdrawn or irritable, having previously been social or the life of the party. Discover Senior Living at Argent Court If your loved one feels lonely or needs extra support with activities of daily living (ADLs) like bathing, grooming, and walking, assisted living could be the ideal next chapter in their retirement. Argent Court’s senior living residents receive all the daily support they need while enjoying enriching activities (including yoga, crafts, and cooking), daily opportunities to socialize, gourmet chef-prepared meals, and excellent on-site amenities (including laundry and a beauty salon).

Texas seniors rightly expect more from senior living than ever before, and perceptions of what it means to move to assisted living are changing for the better. Modern assisted living communities like Argent Court are constantly evolving to meet the needs of a new, vibrant generation of seniors.

A diverse range of factors affect an individual’s needs from their senior living provider. These factors include health conditions, mobility, finances, hobbies, and lifestyle. However, there are some common themes that most modern-day seniors and family caregivers seek in an assisted living community.

Overall, today’s seniors are seeking holistic living options that combine:

Affordability and convenient living. Independence and a fulfilling, healthy lifestyle. Quality, tailored support to suit individual needs. As a senior living provider who truly cares about our residents and the family caregivers we serve, Argent Court strives to stay in tune with the changing needs of the older generation. Here is a sample of how our services align with the priorities of Texas seniors today.

Affordable Options That Work for You

Texas seniors deserve to access compassionate care and a fulfilling lifestyle in retirement, regardless of their financial situation. Our all-inclusive rates mean seniors and family caregivers can budget more efficiently, and we’re happy to accept Long-Term Care Insurance. If you need clarification on payment options or whether your insurance is suitable, our Administrator will be happy to discuss this with you and find the most cost-effective way forward.

Freedom, Convenience, and Leisure

You should be able to continue living in a way that works for you; moving to a senior living community shouldn’t mean giving up on your freedom. We offer a transportation service to help residents get to personal appointments, and you can even bring your car, as we have plenty of free parking for residents and visitors alike.

Argent Court also hosts many activities and events for residents to enjoy with friends and family. We have dedicated activities directors responsible for creating a varied calendar of engaging activities and events, including arts and crafts, live music, and traditional favorites like bingo and dominoes. Seniors can frequently participate in organized outings like shopping trips, too, and we support residents’ spirituality providing opportunities for Bible study groups and worship services.

Alongside our impressive activities schedule, we strive to help seniors’ live life how they please. We want our residents to continue doing what they love and living in a way that serves them. For example, unlike many assisted living communities, we’re pet friendly, and residents are allowed to bring small pets to their apartments. Our private dining space also allows residents to enjoy their own celebrations and private dinners with guests of their choice.

A Fulfilling and Healthy Lifestyle

Moving to senior living should allow one to live a happier and healthier lifestyle. Argent Court provides daily gourmet, chef-prepared cuisine, with menus including a hearty range of classic favorites and delicious, healthy options. Residents maintain their physical fitness with a calendar of activities to suit a range of abilities, including chair and dance yoga, group walks, and movement classes.

Seniors can nurture their emotional and mental health by enjoying social activities like pizza and games nights, margaritas and nachos and coffee socials. With on-site beautician and barber services, our residents are empowered to look and feel their best without leaving the comfort of home.

Flexible, Personalized Care From Trained Caregivers

Quality care will always be at the top of the priority list when moving to assisted living. It’s our key focus, too, which is why we’re committed to hand-selecting only the most genuinely caring and highly competent staff members. Argent Court’s staff receive 20 hours of training and orientation before beginning independent work with residents, and additional annual training is provided to existing staff members as standard.

Residents can receive tailored support with activities of daily living (ADLs) like showering and getting dressed. This support is provided appropriately for each resident to facilitate continued independence and autonomy. Residents also benefit from assistance with medication management and have access to an emergency call system with 24/7 monitoring. Our spaces are entirely wheelchair accessible, and we welcome residents with various health and daily living needs.

To discover more about the personalized care and lifestyle options we offer to Texas seniors at Argent Court Assisted Living, call or contact us today. Organize a personal tour to have your questions answered and explore our beautiful locations in person.