Question: Do you think the elderly are respected as much as they were when you were young?
Survey said: Yes, 8%; No, 84%, Not sure, 8%; Total votes, 372 at Caring.com
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Thursday, March 1, 2012
7 tips to make life a little easier as a caregiver
Over
80% of family caregivers are unpaid, home bound, even isolated. These
caregivers are overwhelmed with day-to-day responsibilities to someone with
Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia. Remembering4You recommends tips that
make the work and life of a caregiver a little easier. Keeping it simple
maximizes energy and minimizes the possibility of exhaustion. Here are 6 tips
that are easy to adopt and implement in your daily caregiving schedule when
providing care for someone with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia:
Tip
#1: When caring for an elderly loved one, especially one with Alzheimer’s or
another form of dementia, consistently keep meals at the same times every day.
Plan your meals ahead of time and avoid giving too many options for meals: “Would you like a tuna sandwich; maybe a
bowl of soup; or how about some casserole?” This can be confusing for your
loved one, and even small decisions like what to have for lunch can cause anxiety.
Try this: “We’re having chicken salad
sandwiches for lunch. I know how much you love chicken salad.”
Tip
#2: buy a lightweight water pitcher and keep it full. Keep it in an easily
accessible place for your loved one. Gently remind them to keep drinking the
water. Staying hydrated is important for their overall health and well-being.
Tip
#3: If your loved one likes watching TV, buy a remote control with large
numbers. Same goes for the phone – if they still chat on the phone with friend
and family members, make sure to buy a phone with an oversized keypad they can
use. Digital clocks with large numbers placed around the home would also
beneficial.
Tip
#4: Keep all of their belongings organized and easily accessible. This goes for
clothes, too. Picking out an outfit will be much easier if clothes are neat and
orderly. Sets can be matched in advanced and put on the same hanger. If the
person with Alzheimer’s is still able to dress themselves, this will make it
much easier for them to find the proper outfit all on the same hanger. If the
family caregiver has to dress their loved one, this will save a great deal of
time.
Tip
#5: Allow your loved one to make as many of their own decisions as possible.
This helps them to feel in control and retain some autonomy. The important
thing is to limit the choices because too many choices can be overwhelming,
even frustrating.
Tip
#6: Know what they love, and do those things with them often. Find what
abilities they still have such as playing cards. Talk to them about their
memories and sit with them to watch an old movie together. Bake cookies and
encourage daily exercises such as taking walks outside or in the mall. Take
them out for coffee or tea in order to socialize and for the caregiver to be
able to socialize also.
Tip
#7: Treat your responsibilities of caregiver the same as you would any other
job or employment. Create an operation’s manual that describes every task and
every responsibility. If someone has to replace you for some respite or you
hire a paid, part-time caregiver, this operation’s manual will be a life saver.
Also include your daily tasks in order of importance, a column for remarks, and
a column for the initials of the caregiver who performed the task.
Remembering4You has a sample form for you to review at http://remembering4you.com/articles/tracking.html.
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