Home Alone: Is Your Loved One OK?

As a caregiver, you may have to decide if it is still possible to leave an elderly person in your care alone for an hour, an afternoon or an entire day. Making this decision can be a complicated and emotionally wrenching experience for you and the senior. For caregivers, it can be heartbreaking to recognize that the strong, self-sufficient adult they have known for years is no longer capable of taking care of themselves. It also means a real loss of freedom and flexibility and may require you to develop creative strategies to accomplish daily errands and tasks. For the senior, it can be equally difficult to acknowledge and accept that physical, emotional or mental changes have reduced their independence. Home Alone