Advice for Home Care Givers

Being a home caregiver for an elderly individual can be a daunting task to face. You want to be friendly and gain respect and trust while still providing efficient care that makes the individual happy. In some cases, they want you to feel like an old friend stopping by rather than a home caregiver or guest. There are ways to accomplish a friendship based relationship and ways to keep from getting too overwhelmed.

Information is Your Friend

It is essential that you find out everything that you need to know about the person ahead of time. Find out why they need home care, research any and all health conditions that they may have. Find out different strategies to face everyday situations. You may need to get creative to avoid burn out. You may find that the individual you are caring for needs a basic routine to feel safe.

Find a Support Group

Doing the same thing every day with little room to change can lead to feelings of resentment or pressure. A support group of people who are familiar with what you are going through can help you to process your feelings and show you that you are not alone, even when you feel like it. There is no reason to feel like you are alone in feelings that you are having.

A support group can also teach you new ways to handle situations that seem life alternating. This is especially true if you find out about a new condition or that a previous condition is worsening. You will have a place to get sound advice, and a place air out your frustrations.

Trust Your Instincts

No matter what you are told by anyone you always need to trust the way you feel about the situation. Since you are the provider every single day, you will know subtle differences that others will not be familiar with. You will be able to recognize changes before someone who does not see them every day. This will help you to seek out the right care at exactly the time that it is needed.

Encouragement Goes a Long Way

Knowing that you are doing the right thing can make you feel so much better about the care you are providing. That encouragement gives your confidence about what you do on a daily basis. The same is true of the person in your care. There are times when they feel overwhelmed or discouraged because they cannot do the things that they are used to. By encouraging them regularly, you will make them feel more confident to go on with the things that they do every day.

Know your limits     

Recognize when you need a break. Then arrange to have a break. It does not mean you have to have an entire day off. It can be something as simple as a lunch away or a movie out. Knowing your limits can keep you from feeling burdened or weighed down. It can help you to provide the very best home care possible.

 

About Guided Living Senior Home Care Guided Living offers home health care services serving Plymouth, MA and the surrounding areas. Our mission is to assist our clients with improving quality of life, encouraging independence within their home and providing first-class care with respect, dignity, compassion and the highest ethical standards.We have incorporated great technology into the company like our FamilyCARES portal that gives families a real time look into their loved one’s care. One of our goals is to build trust and show accountability to clients and their families through transparency.We take care management seriously and each client has a dedicated Registered Nurse Care Manager that will supervise caregivers, perform regular in-home checks, and most importantly be available for clients and families to help navigate through tough questions and uncertainties during difficult times. To speak with a Registered Nurse Care Manager to learn more about our services call 508-927-1213 any time.