Tag Archives: caregiver

Jan30

How To Keep Your Aging Loved One Happy & Healthy

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How To Keep Your Aging Loved One Happy & Healthy

When it comes to aging loved ones, they tend to be the ones that face the most loneliness. It’s quite sad, but there is something that you can do about it. More specifically, there are ways that you can keep your aging loved one happy and healthy throughout the rest of their life. It’s not nearly as challenging as you may think so here is everything you need to know:

Encourage physical activities:

If your aging loved one is not getting adequate exercise, you should encourage them to be more active. Exercise helps strengthen muscles, improves balance, and helps reduce the risk of diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. It also promotes healthy aging. Many seniors are afraid of exercising, but they need to stay active to protect their health, as any cardiac surgeon will tell you. Encourage your senior loved one to keep up with their physical activity by showing them the benefits of doing so.

Set boundaries around your caregiving relationship:

It can be challenging having to take care of your aging loved ones and it is important to set boundaries. This can sometimes be easier said than done! Some people find it difficult to say no to their parents. They may feel guilty and want to say yes to everything. The most important thing to remember when setting boundaries is to be clear. You do not want to be perceived as being a doormat or rude. Instead, be thoughtful and respectful. If you want to ensure your aging loved ones are happy and doing well, then you need to know it starts with you and how you feel. Boundaries will help keep both parties happy.

Encourage meaningful conversations:

Having those heart-to-heart conversations means a lot. Seniors’ minds are often a source of wisdom and experience. Sharing memories can be a fun and uplifting way to connect with them. You can ask them how they’re feeling or even try to take a trip down memory lane with them. Overall, it’s just so important to engage in these sorts of conversations; they’re very powerful and can help combat loneliness.

Make them feel safe:

Using the latest upgrades to home safety, such as personal medical alarm technology and sensors to detect falls, can give seniors the peace of mind they deserve. Other less obvious solutions include installing an intelligent alarm system, putting a lock on the front door, and removing items in the home that could be considered hazardous. If they’re living in a nursing home, you’re going to want to ensure that they’re staying safe there too. In cases like this, inform them of a nearby  Nursing Home Abuse Center for additional help.

Remember that there’s no top-end age limit for when they should go into a residential community with more connections to their peers, so looking through 55 and older communities could be the best way to help them feel more satisfied in their comfortable living arrangements. This might feel like a step backwards for your loved one and their independence but it can really be a wonderful thing. These communities are just that – a community that can nurture new friendships, passions, and mental and physical wellness. When you research quality home like options, you will find all kinds of amenities like gyms, hobby classes, beauty salons, and so much more to create a meaningful and comfortable experience.

Find a hobby or activity that they may enjoy:

Some common hobbies for seniors include bird watching, art, music, or even genealogy. These activities can provide a relaxing way for your senior to connect with the outdoors and enjoy nature. You can also consider joining a book club. The books in a book club can range from serious to light-hearted, but the club’s goal is to bring people together to discuss a topic. Another idea for a new hobby for your senior is to look online. Many online gaming communities and websites exist to offer people a wide variety of games and activities. There are also a number of apps available to help you get started.

Form a care team:

A family member like yourself may need extra help taking care of an aging parent or loved one. You shouldn’t do it all alone, which is why you need to have a care team. The best way to find a good fit is to talk to your family. You want to know what your aging parent’s wants and needs are. Your own goals are also important. This includes keeping your loved one safe and comfortable and providing emotional support. If you have the means, you can even hire a financial planner to protect your loved one’s assets, as this tends to be needed too.

If the next step in your loved one’s care is moving to an assisted living facility or having staff come to the home, another excellent resource is enlisting the help of Senior Living Experts. They will be able to help narrow down options according to the best fit for your loved one so all that is left to do is make a decision. This can be especially beneficial if you are struggling to keep your head above water or feeling overwhelmed with choices. Overall, a care team and a large support system will definitely help out your aging loved one.

Help keep your loved one safe and happy with the tips above and continue to nurture your relationship every day!

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Dec16

The Ideal Traits You Need To Be A Caregiver

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The Ideal Traits You Need To Be A Caregiver

To be a caregiver, you need to have certain personality traits and skills as an individual. Just like other jobs, it often takes a certain person to become a carer and to be great at the job itself. What are those traits that make one successful in this career path? Here are some of the personality quirks that are needed to become a great carer in the field:

Patience:

A lot of patience is important because not every patient you work with will be as cooperative as others. Depending on how many people you work with, you may need to manage your approach with each one a little differently. If you’re one to get easily frustrated or impatient, then this might not be the ideal career path for you. It can be filled with a lot of challenging times which require patience – and plenty of it!

Flexibility:

Flexibility is a must when it comes to being a carer. It’s something that live in care jobs require particularly because the hours may not be fixed or set. It might be that you’re required for an evening shift with one patient and then a middle-of-the-day shift for another person the following day. Flexibility is required for this type of role and, unfortunately, not every lifestyle can adapt to this. However, there may be carer jobs out there that offer more flexibility in terms of a structured or fixed working schedule.

Dedication and commitment:

With a carer role, it’s not something that’s easy to walk away from. Whether that’s deciding on a new career path, retiring, or just going home after a long day on the job. Walking away from it can be emotionally and physically tiring. There’s a lot of dedication and commitment that’s required of these roles and some have it in them – others don’t. It’s important to fully understand this level of dedication and commitment required, defining the key roles of caretaker vs caregiver, and whether or not you’re up for all that these important positions demand.

Passion for the job:

Having a passion for this field can make it feel less like work and more like being paid to do something you thoroughly enjoy. The job itself can be challenging and it can be tough in many ways. Being able to possess that passion needed is going to make all of it a lot easier to handle. When you are interviewing for a job in this field, your interviewers will know if you are being genuine or not. If this is something you truly want to do, it can be helpful to look at the hiring process for companies in your local area. For example, you can explore things like the benchmark careers page to find information like if the company is hiring, employee reviews, and client testimonials.

It is always a good idea to research the company you are interested in first and foremost. You want to work at a place where clients are satisfied and comfortable with their care. Anything less can reflect poorly on you even if you are wonderful at your job. To get started simply enter a search for “caregiver jobs Philadelphia” (or your local area). You might even want to ask different places if there are shadowing options available.

Respectful and balanced in opinion:

One of the final traits you need when it comes to being a carer is respect for others. At times, there are going to be patients who will test you. They may not give you respect but as a carer, you need to give them yours – something some may struggle with. Being balanced in opinion is also essential because you’ll need to be able to respect their choices and wishes.

These traits are just some of many that are needed for this type of role or career path. Make sure you tick them all off before pursuing it so the people you help can get the best quality of care!

Featured Image By: Unsplash