Caretaking involves a lot of pressure on the part of the caretaker when it comes to acquiring a full-time responsibility of being around the elderly for their daily requirements. As a caretaker, you want to be sure that you are providing the right kind of care and they feel heard and cared for at times when they require the maximum support. You want to make sure they are handled with care, compassion, love and patience. While it may seem overwhelming and stressful at times, it is to be noted that they are going through a time of distress too. The feeling of being helpless, dependent or clingy might be frustrating for them as well. Therefore, such situations must be handled with maximum care. While you are confused or nervous about how to take care of the elderly, you have come to the right place for guidance. The Club Vintage comes up with caretaking tips for the elderly that might lessen your stress and anxiety of taking up the responsibility of being a caregiver because we understand your concern.
1. Visit Often
If you are a busy person and you barely manage to spend quality time with your family, make sure you visit them as and when possible. Seniors are in great need of social interaction to uplift them of their dooming moods. They need constant reassurance that they are safe, healthy and are well cared for. Throughout your visit, make sure to take a note of all the things they require, check if the necessities are properly met. Make sure to give them a sense of belongingness, that they are still an important part of society and that their lives are equally meaningful. Also, a routine check of their food, laundry or other necessities is mandatory during your visit.
2. Check Their Medications
A routine check of the elderly’s medicine supply can feel like half of the work is done. Be sure that proper medications and nutrients are supplied to your loved ones to save them up from any uncalled situation. Their prescriptions must be filled and refilled occasionally. If they are on multiple medications, try making up a scheduled calendar for when to take those medicines. A schedule will not only help to keep your life organized, but it will also help your loved ones voluntarily keep a note of their agenda as well. This small step on your part can save up a lot of the hassles. Apart from the medications provided, take a note of the potential side effects or possible interactions with current medications so you can immediately recognise if there is an emergency or any medical attention required.
3. Hire Help
For some of you, it might be possible to be around your elderly for their assistance. For other unavoidable situations, hiring a helper or caretaker might sound the best possible solution for providing a better life to your elderly. There are occasions where the elderly require help with their daily activities such as showering, personal grooming or even eating. Hiring a full-time caregiver at such instances helps ease your anxieties. Before hiring, be sure to check references and their background data. You might contact a licensed agency as well. Remember to choose wisely.
4. Keep Them Active
Inactivity, the way of life that the elderly gradually adapt to, invites a lot of other physical as well as mental problems. It is important to keep your loved ones active and involved. Make sure to integrate exercises of mild intensity while preparing for their healthcare. Also, find ways to keep them engaged in activities they enjoy doing. This might include gardening, knitting, spending time with a pet, a short walk or any such activities that would get them into action and lighten their mood. A walk in the morning or evening with your elderly will not only make them feel refreshed but would also serve as an opportunity for you to spend some time together. Social engagement forms a crucial part of elderly life. It becomes extremely important for them to stay in touch with their family or friends or they may even want to venture out and make new friends. A sense of belongingness to a community life allows them to loosen their thoughts of worry and apprehension.
It is important to find an activity that the elderly enjoy doing. Figuring out activities they like would make it a lot easier to motivate them to look up to the next sessions with excitement about the exercise plan. Start slowly and let them pick up on activities they like. This would be a great incentive for people who hate exercise to change their perception of remaining active.
5. Arrange a Scheduled visit to the doctor
Participate in elder care services like taking your parents or elderly loved ones to the doctors. A frequent checkup of the elderly becomes necessary to remain updated about their health concerns. As their resilience and adaptive quality of the body keeps decreasing, an informed communication with a doctor becomes most essential. To prepare for the doctor’s visit keep all your questions or concerns ready beforehand. This scheduled visit should also include contact details of the doctor in case of any queries.
6. Be prepared for change
One of the toughest and most important aspects of caregiving is accepting and adapting to change. Your loved one’s mood, temperament, attitude and personality face a drastic change over time. It is important to understand and accept this shift in their overall personality as normal and deal with a great amount of patience and understanding. Increased anger or sudden mood changes may be a common occurrence. Your loved one’s senior care providers are skilled at helping elderly loved ones in all stages of life stay active. Try talking to them about different types of exercise that your loved one can do that they might enjoy. Your loved one’s care providers can also help them to exercise, especially when you’re not able to be there with them.
When you first start caring for an elderly loved one, you have a lot to learn. Every caregiver goes through those learning pains, but if you could learn from the trials that others have gone through, your experience as a caregiver can be a lot simpler. You must remain healthy to take care of anyone else. It is common for you to be surrounded by stress, anxiety, depression or frustration. Try dividing the responsibilities between you, your spouse and other family members. You mustn’t forget to take breaks, get away a bit and enjoy your life as well.