Caregivers' Survival Guide: How to Care for an Elderly

You may experience some frustration while taking care of an elderly at home. Let's look at these four areas. Health and medical needs. Around the house. Personal care. Caregiver's well-being. Keep a list of all the medications the elderly person is on with you at all times. This is for you to show the doctor what is the latest list of medications Take medications only as prescribed. Ask the doctor if you have any questions on the medications. Don't change the medication regime without speaking to the doctor first. Safe-proof your house. Install non-slip flooring. Put in grab bars, especially in the toilets, Avoid having curbs in the home, especially if your loved one is on a wheelchair. Unclutter your house. Avoid rugs or carpets, as an elder person may trip over them. Rearrange your furniture so there's enough space for an older person to walk between them using their walking aids or wheelchair. Ensure that there's adequate lighting in your home. An older person often gets up at night to use the toilet. Ensure that there's a night light so that an older person will not slip and fall in the dark. Place objects that an older person may need by their bedside. These include things like spectacles or a walking aid. This can decrease their risk of falls. Support their independence. Encourage an older person to care for themselves as much as possible. For example, if they're still able to feed or bathe themselves, encourage them to do so and don't take over these tasks. Follow their leads and preferences. Everyone has different likes and dislikes. For example, an older person may want to have their hair shampooed only twice a week. We should follow their lead rather than impose a daily shampooing schedule on them. Lastly, the well-being of a caregiver is very important. Caregiving is never easy. Often, a caregiver has multiple roles. They are juggling a full-time job, they are often looking after young children as well as an elderly parent. Some symptoms of caregiver stress include feeling very depressed or frustrated. Sometimes, these feelings of frustration are directed towards the older person. At times, they may even think of harming the older person. Other symptoms may include excessive weight gain or the opposite, like weight loss. They may also have difficulty in sleeping as well as physical symptoms like headache. Make time for yourself. Make sure that you're eating well, sleeping well as well as exercising. Manage stress and your emotional well-being. Focus on daily immediate tasks and schedule other not-so-important tasks. Prioritise and you'll be able to achieve a lot more. Seek help from other family members or hire help to help you look after the elderly loved one. Alternatively, look at other facilities like a daycare centre for the elderly. Be socially active as this will benefit your health in the long run. A caregiver support group is a great way for you to talk to others who are going through the same experiences that you are. Being a caregiver can be both challenging as well as rewarding. We hope that this video would help you in your caregiving journey.