Once the care needs an adult family member or friend living at home have been identified, being able to meet all the needs by yourself can be overwhelming. The National Institute on Aging (NIA) offers information and tips in their article, “Sharing Caregiving Responsibilities” HERE that may help you clarify your role and find ways to get support.

The article also acknowledges that no one can be expected to do everything. However, the reality is caregivers often find themselves feeling as if that’s the case. Anytime is a good time to regroup and be kind to yourself. Establishing how much and what you can do for someone else will benefit you and the person you help.

For example, the article offers questions you might ask yourself to frame or reframe your role:

• How will my decision to take on caregiving responsibilities affect my work and home life?
• If I don’t live nearby, how often, both mentally and financially, can I afford to travel?
• Am I emotionally prepared to take on what may feel like a reversal of roles between me and the person I help— such as taking care of my parent instead of my parent taking care of me, or more of our interactions are task-based instead of for social or fun time?
• Can I continue to respect their independence?
• Can I be calm and assertive when communicating with the person and any other caregivers? Could I seek advice or training to get better at this?

Feeling as if you’re not alone can lift some of the heavy weight carried by caregivers. A coordinating worksheet from the NIA HERE can help you identify tasks and ask others (informal or professionals), living near or far away, to help with caregiving tasks. A completed list also provides a tangible, neutral reason to review the situation and change plans as needed, to support everyone involved.