Acting as a family caregiver for an older loved one is a rewarding experience, but it can also be quite a trying one, especially if you’re not sure what needs to be done. Even the best caregivers learn by experience, so at the beginning of this journey, you might find yourself looking for help.
Here are a couple tips designed to help you be a better caregiver before you even start helping a family member our. They are not designed to solve every problem you encounter, but hopefully they will be a big step forward in the right direction.
Create a Care Plan
If you are like most families that have an elderly loved one in the home, only one person takes on the primary responsibilities for leading their care. However, this does not mean that the whole family is not involved in the process. One way that you can help to ensure that the entire family is on the same page when it comes to providing care is to make sure that a care plan is in place and that everyone who needs to know about it and what it entails is in the loop. Creating a care plan might sound like an overwhelmingly large task, but this is really just a document that goes over what types of things are needed and how they can be provided. This can include medicine and the times that they must be taken, the safest way to help your parent around the house, any special dietary needs, and things of this nature.
Adult Day Centers
Oftentimes, day centers are referred to as adult daycares. Although this term isn’t the preferred one, it does sum up their function. They act as a place where you can bring your older loved one during the day while you are at work so that they are not alone. It is an alternative to in-home care, and ideal for someone who is still fairly mobile and is looking for social interaction. Not all cities and areas have these services, unfortunately. But, if you live in a metro area, odds are that there is one nearby. Be sure to check out their reputation and what they provide before committing to anything.
Ultimately, whatever you and the professionals that you trust decide is the best course of action for your family is what you should go with. Acting as a family caregiver is something that many families have done with a good deal of success, but it’s not always the right choice. If you do find that acting as a caregiver for your family is not the right course of action, there are a lot of resources out there that can assist you with the next step.
If you’re located in the Bay Area, we would love to help you by being one of those resources. Give us a call or send an email to learn more about the services that we offer and how they might be of help to you and your family.
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