How to Become an Effective Caregiver: Your 5 Step Guide
Caregivers selflessly give up their time to ensure their dependent loved ones can remain as independent as possible, while striving to improve their quality of life. Yet, there might be times when caregivers question their abilities or fail to care for their own wellbeing If this sounds like you, you should read the following advice on how to become an effective caregiver.
Prioritize Your Tasks
Do you ever feel like your duties are a little overwhelming? It might be helpful to plan your days by setting priorities. Write a list of all the essential tasks you need to do that day, which will ensure the most important jobs are completed first, and you can always pick up the less important tasks on your list the next day, if needed.
Prep Your Loved One’s Home
The thought of an elderly loved one experiencing an accident within the home probably fills you with fear. As a result, you might be tempted to perform every task on their behalf to eliminate injuries. Yet, there are things you can do to decrease the likelihood of your loved one hurting themselves within the home, while allowing them to maintain their independence.
For example, you can install an electric stairlift to help a parent or grandparent move across the home with ease, or you can buy an adjustable bedside table from Integrant LLC, so they can quickly access important items, such as food, drink, toiletries, or their reading glasses.
Care for Your Own Health
You will be no good to a dependent parent, grandparent or another relative if you’re not well yourself. Caring for a relative can take a physical, emotional, and mental toll on a caregiver, which is why you must care for your own health and wellbeing or you’ll burn out. As a result, you might experience illness, anxiety, depression, fatigue, or stress.
There is help available. You simply need to ask for it. Allow other relatives or friends to help care for your loved one for the day, so you can enjoy a much-needed day off. You could even turn to an outside agency for assistance, so a professional can care for your loved one while you take a break. You’ll be a better caregiver for doing so.
Create a Long-Term Plan
No-one likes to think about their loved one’s health deteriorating, but it is important to know what to do if there is a change in their condition. A proactive approach will allow you to identify any services that might one day be needed before a potential problem arises, so you can quickly act to ensure your loved one receives the best medical services for their needs.
Learn to Say No to Your Loved One
There will be times as a caregiver that you will need to say no to your loved one. For example, you may have to eliminate a much-loved food from their diet to improve their health. As hard as it might be to refuse a relative their vice, you must learn to say no. They will be thankful you did in time.
Playing Catch Can Improve Balance and Prevent Falls – Smilecast 94
Playing Catch Good for Balance
The simple training exercise of catching a weighted medicine ball can improve balance and may help prevent falls in the elderly, according to research at the University of Illinois at Chicago. When someone is jostled by a bump or a stumble, the brain uses two strategies to maintain balance and prevent a fall. You brace yourself then you take corrective action to prevent losing your balance. Most people have very positive memories associated with playing catch.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
Our Friday Song of the Week – Brown Eyed Girl
Our Friday Song of the Week – Brown Eyed Girl
Stress and Alzheimer’s – Not a Good Combo – Smilecast 93
Stress and Alzheimer’s – Stress Can Accelerate Symptoms
Stress-induced hormones produced by the brain can increase an individual’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and accelerate the development of Alzheimer’s in individuals already suffering from the disease.
When the brain is stressed, it produces steroids that can inhibit general brain activity. One such steroids is allopregnanolon. Mice with elevated levels of the steroid experienced impaired memory and learning in the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s development. So pay attention to the relationship between stress and Alzheimer’s.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
Aging and Fun – Yes They Go Together
Aging and Fun: Why You Don’t Have To Give Up Everything You Love
When you get old, things you usually do may no longer be the same. For some, getting old means losing a lot of things, especially those you love the most. It may be a hobby or a passion to do something that makes you happy and fulfilled. However, do we really have to give up our passion because of something like old age? Aging and fun can be related, given the right effort. Below are some reasons why you don’t have to give up everything you love as you grow older
Aging is only a phase in life
Aging is a natural part of life. Our minds and bodies experience change as we mature, and our habits and passions change and evolve as we mature. We should treat the things we love as things that are capable of evolving with us, and the state of things we love now isn’t permanent.
- Remember, just as how aging is a phase in life, our mindset makes up a big part of how we see our life. If we start looking at what we can do with our time and not what we’re missing out on, then perhaps aging can be fun.
- For instance, older age may pose more care on your part in terms of your physical, emotional, and mental health. Proper adjustments to your routine, however, can free up time to do the things you love.
- The same mindset above can applied towards your surroundings. Start developing a more positive outlook that the things around you can help improve your love for whatever passion you have.
- The concepts seem vague at first, but when we apply these mindsets with a more creative spin, we might just find a way to not give up everything we love
There’ll always be a solution to everything
Growing older is typically associated with the thought that we can’t do anything because we’re old.
- While we age, it’s natural that we become more careful with our surroundings. There are more restrictions to food, places, and activities we can do depending on medication and other situations. Just because there are limitations, however, doesn’t mean we have to give up on everything.
- Taking note of these limitations is important in setting us up for more things to love in the future. If you love to dance, for example, and find it difficult to do so because of age, you may not necessarily have to give up on dance entirely. If hip-hop was your thing before, maybe it’s time for you to evolve and take up something slower like ballroom dancing, instead. It’s not as intense as hip-hop at first glance, but it’s an entirely different dimension of dance that can peak your interest.
- Prepare yourself for instances where you have to make do with what you have, and take “making do” with a creative spin.
Make use of creativity, innovation, and motivation
If you fear that someday you’ll not be able to do your much-loved activities because of old age, you’re wrong.
- We keep on talking about things like creativity, but with whatever passion you have, you surely know that there’s always a creative way to express your love for the craft. This spark won’t be lost despite old age, unless you give up on yourself entirely.
- Remember, compromise is important, and we can achieve it best if we understand what we are capable of. Think of your limitations not as setbacks, but as challenges that will help you find more love for your craft. For example, if you’re afraid you won’t be able to paint because of old age, try to switch up your painting style. If you’re the detailed painter, try pointillism or finger painting – those are entirely new dimensions of painting that can give a new spin to your interests.
- What matters is you feel fulfilled with what you do. Perhaps your feeling of “giving up” has something to do with you losing that “spark” that you had when you were young, and you may be blaming aging for that. Try to think of ways to rekindle your love for your craft, or if you think it’s lost, try to find a new hobby to learn.
It’s okay to seek help
If you think you’re having a hard time reconciling the things you have to do and take note of because of your age, and making sure your love for your hobby stays, and you don’t have to deal with that by yourself. It’s okay to seek professional help, because therapy can help bring back that “spark,” or a support group can help you discover a new hobby.
- Psychiatrists are trained and equipped with the skill set to help you achieve your goals, and they might be able to help you rekindle your love for your passion despite your old age. Try to find a psychiatrist of a specialization that fits your needs, and try a consultation.
- If therapy is not your thing, try to find a support group within the hobby you like. It can be helpful if you get to share your sentiments with people in the same interest, as they may also have creative insights that could help you.
In reality, dealing with aging is no fun at all. You may even experience a decline in your physical and mental abilities. But as long as you’re confident for all that’s happening in your life, you’ll still end up content. Try to take advantage of your aging process by making every moment extra fun and joyful. By doing so, there’ll be no more reason why you have to give up everything you love when getting old. Aging and fun will go together! Did you enjoy this Members Own article?
Jessica Wilson wrote this article about Aging and Fun.
Jessica is a professional health expert who works for some major health industry giants. She currently writes for Members Own and is dedicated to helping people learn more about health related topics along the journey. When she’s not a health advocate, she enjoys some down time traveling or talking with family.
