Top Tips for Caregiving
Top Tips for Caregiving
Caring for our senior loved ones comes with challenges. Compared to taking care of children, there are no clear indications of when it will get more difficult or when full recovery can be expected. Caregiving varies from patient to patient. Whether you are providing care to your own loved one or someone else’s, remember to pace yourself and get to know the tips that can help you become a better caregiver.
- Get to know how much care is needed!
Will your seniors need assisted living? Will they need to be admitted to a nursing home? Will they need home care? In some cultures, especially in Myanmar culture, caregiving conversations before a senior need it is taboo. It is expected that you take care of the elderly because they may have at one point in time taken care of you. Determining how much care a senior needs versus your abilities to give will minimize crises.1, 2 - You have to consider financial implications.
This type of conversation is the type that no one really wants to have because it can be triggering for both the caregiver and senior. But it is one you must also have because caregiving can get expensive. If you do not have time, will you be able to afford to sign them up for a nursing home? Who will take care of the medical bills? If in-homecare, will the responsibilities be shared among the people living there? They are all things you must plan for so that they do not create unnecessary debates in the future with parties involved.1, 2 - Get help where it is needed
You may think at first that the responsibility is all yours and it is not appropriate to thrust others with your duties. It is actually quite okay to ask for help when you feel overwhelmed. Be realistic about how much care you can give and are willing to give. Be proactive and find support in geriatric experts or other caregivers within family and friends. Check your local senior communities, nursing homes, support groups, and even social media outlets for your concerns and backup for some hard decisions.1, 2 - Your own wellbeing matters too
Recognizing stress and how to deal with it will help you help yourself and become a better caretaker. Over a long period of time, stress is detrimental to your own wellbeing. Socialize away from caretaking from time to time, give focus to other parts of your life, and maintain a healthy diet along with physical exercise.1, 2
Whatever type of care you are giving, always stay up to date on the latest caregiving techniques and ways to improve quality of life with nutrition. Whether or not you are up to par in the nutrition department when providing care, you can use nutritional supplements where need be. Explore the many products from EnsureⓇ, which has over 40 years of research and scientifically formulated products to improve a senior’s health for a fulfilling and fruitful life.3
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