Important Points Every Caregiver Of A Senior Needs To Keep In Mind
Posted on: 14 June 2017
Are you the caregiver of a senior? Perhaps this a lifestyle change that is about to occur in your life due to a loved one no longer being able to care for themselves. You may even be a person who has been caring for a loved one, and now you need to return to work. Sometimes people who have to care for their loved ones get to a point of feeling overwhelmed. The following are a few tips you can use to make caregiving easier and less stressful for you and your family.
Adequate Sleep
If you do not allow yourself to get adequate sleep, it can lead to a number of issues that can interfere with how well you take care of your loved one. A potential problem with sleep deprivation is having mood swings. You can also overexert yourself to the point that when you finally get some sleep it may result in you oversleeping. This means that you could miss doing important things for your loved one such as giving them their medication(s). Sole caregivers can ensure they get adequate sleep by having a daily routine rather having chaotic schedules. You may also need to consider hiring in-home caregivers to relieve you if you do not have friends or relatives to help.
Proper Planning
It may help to develop a written schedule each week. Taking care of yourself, your family, and a loved one likely means that you have a lot of responsibilities such as various appointments each week. Writing out what has to be done each week ensures that you do not miss appointments. If there are other family members in the household, you could keep the weekly or monthly schedule on a large calendar. This will allow everyone to know what events are coming up. It also allows you to know when you may need to get outside help with senior care. For example, there may be a week that is filled with several obligations that require a significant amount of time and travel and taking your loved one with you might not be ideal if they have mobility issues or other health problems such as dementia.
A home health care agency is a good resource to use to learn how in-home caregivers can assist you and your loved one. They can explain the services they provide and create a customized plan to help you take care of your loved one. Different families have differing needs. For example, some families may only need senior care a few hours a week, and others may need help caring for their loved ones while family members go to work and school.
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