If you want to care for an elderly relative at home then it is imperative that you take steps to look after yourself as well. After all, taking care of someone can be a difficult task, especially if you are having a hard time with things going on in your own life. If you want to make the care that you give easier, or if you want to make sure that you are truly looking after your relative in the best possible way then this is the guide for you.
Keep Care at Home
If possible, you need to make sure that you keep care at home. Find people or providers who are able to come to you. It may be that you arrange home visits or that you carry out telehealth appointments over the phone. If you can ensure that this is the case then this gives you time to go out and run your errands, while your loved one is getting the care they need. If you are always driving your relative around or if you are continually having to take them to and from the doctors then this can be draining, and it’s the last thing you need.
Coordinate your Care
If possible, you need to do what you can to coordinate services amongst those who are responsible for your older loved one. As an example, it may be that you ask your doctor to send any prescriptions electronically to the pharmacy, so you don’t have to pick them up yourself. Little things like this can save you a great deal of time and it also ensures that your elderly relative is receiving a high standard of care. If you don’t feel as though you are able to provide them with the care that they need then remember, there is nothing wrong with putting them in a nursing home. If you are wary of this because of things that have happened in the past then it’s very easy for you to look into the Nursing Home Abuse Center.
Focus on Social Inclusion
If possible, you need to try and create opportunities for your loved ones so that they can have an active role. You don’t have to go about doing everything on your own, and most of the time, family are happy to help if you simply tell them what they can do. Remember that isolation can easily be a major source of distress, especially in the elderly. If you can arrange for them to go and socialize with people of their own age or if you can get them to partake in community events, then this will help you out a lot.
Stay Up to Date
Keep abreast of any new technologies that could improve every aspect of your loved one’s care. It may be that you arrange a FaceTime appointment with your primary care physician so you can find out how your loved one is doing in terms of their medication, or that you set up a safety monitoring system so if your loved one happens to get into difficulty, you can be alerted about it.
