Ready to Care: Useful Considerations for Caregivers

As our loved ones age, the reality of their evolving needs comes into view and that may include playing an advanced role in their care. You may already know from personal experience that family caregivers are essential contributors to the healthcare system. In fact, it is estimated that 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. provide unpaid care to a family member or friend, many of whom are given little to no advanced notice. In order to help manage stress, expectations and provide the best care possible, you can anticipate the call to care by considering the following tips, resources and self-care advice.

Becoming A Caregiver

Patience is often the most important—and toughest—practice in caregiving. Keep in mind your loved one’s emotional needs and focus on/promote their dignity and independence as much as possible. Be an active listener and be attentive to your loved one’s verbal and non-verbal cues. Researching their diagnoses and speaking with their doctors (when appropriate) about their condition can help you to better understand what is needed from you in the management of their care.

Assess what is needed in terms of time management and organizational needs, including coordinating doctor’s office visits and household maintenance. If your loved one has more than one caregiver, define the roles of each contributing person, keeping in mind distance, time, resources and skills/experience.

Document everything, including your loved one’s routines, diagnoses, medications, healthcare professional care team, emergency contacts and other important phone numbers, and upcoming appointments. You may consider keeping a care journal to organize these items.

Among the approximately 53 million Americans in caregiving roles, 70% offer unpaid elder care assisting adults aged 65 and older. However, in certain circumstances, one can be paid to provide caregiving to a family member.

Adult daycares and home healthcare programs may be available to support the person you are caring for. Medicare, Medicaid, veterans’ benefits or private health insurance may pay for a portion or all of the costs depending on income, degree of disability and other factors.

Organizing Yours and Your Loved One’s Affairs Ahead of Time

It is not uncommon to find your loved one’s affairs in disarray or organized in a fashion that is only meaningful to them. You can get ahead of the entanglement of affairs with Advance Care Planning.

An often-overlooked consideration for caregivers is access to password-protected devices and social media accounts. If you do not secure those early on, you may need a court order to access them in the future.

Taking Care of Yourself

As with the oxygen masks on an airplane, we must prioritize our own wellbeing in order to properly care for others. Studies show the degree of a caregiver’s psychological, emotional and physical stress varies by gender and age, with women and caregivers 50 and under experiencing greater stress.

In addition to the usual self-care advice to sleep, move, eat right and keep your doctors’ appointments, decide what you need for yourself to keep going. Whether it’s a daily walk, a phone call with a friend or a coffee date with friends, try to schedule time for yourself each day.

Becoming a caregiver can be incredibly rewarding yet exhausting. To manage your stress, it can be helpful to focus on the tasks at hand, taking it one day at a time, and determining the best way to break down priorities with a special focus on your loved one’s safety, health and emotional needs, as well as your own.