Being a caregiver is a challenge in and of itself. The current pandemic has made travel and visitation difficult, leaving many caregivers wondering how to meet the needs of their loved ones — even wondering if they are meeting their needs, as well as their own needs. Many times, caregivers feel they occasionally need caregivers of their own.
Local agencies are available in the Bucks County area that can help take the stress out of worrying if your loved one is being taken care of when you can’t be there.
Meals on Wheels of Central Bucks County delivers fresh, hot, handmade meals three days a week, as well as frozen options at other times. This can relieve caretakers of the burden of preparing meals, especially if longer-distance travel is required. Many local restaurants offer online ordering and payment with a delivery option.
Services like instacart will shop at your favorite stores and deliver the goods to the door in a hurry. Other delivery services, like Grubhub and DoorDash, will pick up preordered meals from local restaurants and deliver them as well.
Door-to-door shopping and shipping are not limited to food and grocery items — There are companies like Shipt that will shop at other local stores and deliver the goods within hours. Some have developed relationships with retailers that provide special discounts and deals for their clients. They will give instant text updates while shopping, notifying clients about items that are out-of-stock, taking orders while shopping in case you’ve forgotten something, and relating the time of delivery.
Many local and chain retailers now offer delivery of their products. Walmart, Target, Costco, and others, will take online and app orders and deliver their products to the home.
What if your loved one has an appointment that must be kept and you are not around to take him or her to the doctor? There are many transportation options for Buck County residents. The Bucks County Transportation Shared Ride Program is a fee-based system that will provide rides, given a 2-weekday notice. They have options for people on Medical Assistance and handicapped riders as well. A quick call to the Bucks County Area Agency on Aging at (267) 880-5700 or Bucks County Transport at (888) 795-0740 will provide you with more information.
Being a caregiver does not mean that you should totally neglect your own needs and health. Even when you cannot be with your loved one at all times, there are worry-free options that you can take advantage of to care for him or her when you are not available. Take stock of your loved one’s needs and explore the local area online or in-person to find the services that will meet those needs. Then, take some time for yourself and get refreshed!
If and when the time comes for your loved one to move into a care facility, Bristol House Memory Care has created a safe, secure neighborhood where residents are treated like family.
We at Bristol House design our buildings and programs to maximize the health, safety, and care of our residents, and to provide a work environment that attracts and retains the best employees. The mission of Bristol House Memory Care is to provide excellent care to residents and offer peace-of-mind to family members. Our vision is to be the memory care community of choice for families affected with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. In the spirit of open communication, we work together with families to create a culture at Bristol House Memory Care based on respect and dignity for all individuals. Our expertise in advanced care practices and commitment to ongoing training ensures that we will provide unsurpassed quality of care.