Please consider this week’s blog post our official hats off to all those who offer care to elderly people and individuals with disabilities. We certainly appreciate those who have made it their vocations to provide care to those in need. However, we’d like to send a particularly warm show of appreciation to those who offer care to loved ones as personal gestures. Being the caregiver of an aging parent is no easy feat. This is why it’s important to make sure to take care of the caregiver too!
Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Reach out to family members, friends and neighbours for assistance when you need it. Your loved ones are very likely to understand your situation and be only too willing to pitch in. Remember that you don’t want to get burnt out. If you’re not doing well, there’s no way you’ll be able to provide adequate care to your care recipient. Caregiver.org acknowledges that many caregivers don’t wish to burden others or admit they can’t handle everything on their own.
“Be prepared with a mental list of ways that others could help you,” advises the website, “For example, someone could take the person you care for on a 15-minute walk a couple of times a week. Your neighbour could pick up a few things for you at the grocery store. A relative could fill out some insurance papers. When you break down the jobs into very simple tasks, it is easier for people to help. And they do want to help. It is up to you to tell them how.”
Hire an in-home caregiver.
One of the most essential keys to caring for a caregiver is understanding that you don’t have to do everything yourself. This is especially true for individuals who are working, parenting and/or responsible for other people. Look into professional home care. As DailyCaring.com informs us, as an older adult’s care needs increase, he/she requires more help with activities of daily living like eating, bathing, dressing and moving around.
“These activities can grow to consume your days and nights and leave you exhausted,” notes the website, “Hiring an in-home caregiver will give you some much-needed help so you can take regular breaks. Having in-home caregiving help is especially important if your older adult isn’t sleeping well and you’re not getting enough rest at night.”
Talk to your doctor about your own health.
A major caregiving task is speaking to physicians and other medical professionals about the health status of your care recipient. Naturally, it’s wise to be well informed about his/her ailments and the medications that are required to treat them. What about your health? Are you speaking to your doctor about your physical and emotional challenges?
“Building a partnership with a physician that addresses the health needs of the care recipient and the caregiver is crucial,” insists Caregiver.org, “The responsibility of this partnership ideally is shared between you, the caregiver, the physician, and other healthcare staff. However, it will often fall to you to be assertive, using good communication skills, to ensure that everyoneʼs needs are met—including your own.”
At Advantage Home Health Solutions, we do all we can to help caregivers. We offer high-quality mobility solutions that offer their care recipients greater accessibility around their homes, increasing their independence. To learn more, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at 403-460-5438. You may also email us by filling out the form on our Contact page!
