There are many SCA employees who are currently caring for aging parents, ill children or disabled spouses. There are also several of you who have been through that journey and learned a lot along the way, or who see that as a potential life chapter down the road. We wanted to use this week’s blog entry to get a conversation started about this topic. Our hope is that it will become a resource for sharing ideas that will make the challenges of caregiving just a bit easier for everyone.
After this week, the caregiver post will no longer be at the top of the page, but it will always be accessible and you can continue to post comments at any time. Look to the right and you’ll see a menu for all previous posts. Find this one and follow the discussion below. If you want to be notified when someone posts a comment (or perhaps responds to yours) be sure to follow the blog using the link at the top right. If you don’t already have a Google, Yahoo! or Twitter account, you can create one to have notifications sent to whatever e-mail address you choose.
WHAT IS A CAREGIVER?
A caregiver is someone who provides assistance to another adult or a child with special medical and/or mental health needs. You may be caring for a family member (such as a parent or spouse) or a close friend. People who are paid to do this are considered professional caregivers. Caregiving responsibilities may include:
- Food shopping and cooking
- House cleaning
- Paying bills and/or managing household affairs
- Giving medicine
- Daily activities, such as bathing, dressing and using the toilet
- Eating
- Providing company and emotional support
CHALLENGES OF A CAREGIVER
Caregiving can be an endless job, often requiring the caregiver to be available as needed around the clock. This can be stressful, especially when caring for someone who has mental health challenges, such as dementia. Additionally, caring for loved ones bring the added complexity of a change in the relationship between the caregiver and the person requiring care.
CAREGIVER, HEAL THYSELF
You can’t take care of others if you don’t take care of yourself. I’m sure you’ve all heard that before. It is the reason why parents have to put on their own oxygen mask in an airplane before helping their children. If you can’t breathe, how can you effectively concentrate on helping those around you? All too often, though, caregivers forego their own self-care while constantly attending to the needs of those around them. You may simply feel that you don’t have the time or the energy to do anything extra for your own wellbeing. However, spending a bit of time to yourself will prevent “caregiver burnout” and allow you to continue helping those who need you.
Here are some simple things you can do for your own self-care:
- Go for a walk
- Call someone who makes you laugh
- Play a game
- Read a book or magazine you enjoy
- Go on a date or hang out with a few close friends
- Take an exercise class
- Take a long hot shower or a bubble bath
- Rekindle a hobby you enjoy, such as gardening or golf
- Join a caregiver support group and make new friends who understand your experience
RESOURCES
Follow this link and click on your state to find local resources, including international support groups, financial aid, products and services: http://www.caregiver.com/regionalresources/index.htm. On the top of the page you will also find links for their magazine and newsletter. Subscribe to either or both for ongoing information, ideas and support.
The Medicare site may be particularly well suited for those of you who care for aging parents. This page has a variety of resources, including links to legal assistance, how to pay for care, condition-specific issues and a caregiver community. http://www.medicare.gov/caregivers/. Click on “support for caregivers” and you’ll also find information about taking care of yourself and finding local support.
Blogs about many different types of caregiving situations, including children, siblings, difficult cases, and more: http://www.caregiving.com/. Reading other people’s stories can be therapeutic and informative.
Loaded with resources specifically for elderly caregiving: http://www.caregivershome.com/index.cfm.
Caregivers make up nearly 40% of the purchases of SCA incontinence products. Visit “Looking after Loved Ones.” http://www.tena.us/looking-after-loved-ones/.
Access http://www.caring.com/ for resources to help you provide the best care for your loved ones or to receive weekly tips.
Non-profit organization to assist caregivers: http://www.thefamilycaregiver.org/
No comments:
Post a Comment