La Jolla Senior Care News

Have You Suddenly Found Yourself in a Caregiving Role? Here are 6 Things to Consider When Starting this Rewarding Journey

Caregivers La Jolla CA: 6 Tips for The Brand New Caregiver!

Caregivers La Jolla CAYour aging parent has recently become ill and you are now tasked with the responsibilities that go along with being a caregiver. While you may feel alone in your new found role, millions of people in the United States take on this job for someone they love who is chronically ill or needs long-term care.

Many people are not prepared to take on the role of home care provider and often are not getting paid. The responsibilities vary from caregiver situation to situation but can often be time consuming and stressful. However, while they may face difficult challenges, the experience has proven to be rewarding for many.

The following are 6 general tips that a brand new caregiver should consider:

  1. Educate yourself – Learn all that you can about the illness or injury of your patient or loved one. Knowing what to expect and the best way to help with treatment will be beneficial to both the elderly individual and the caregiver. Educate yourself on the medications that you will be managing for the senior.
  2. Communication – Good communication is vital to providing quality home care. Proper communication involves more than just talking but also requires the caregiver to be an active listener.
  3. Know your resources – With the many questions that you will have as a new caregiver, it is important to know that there are resources available to you. Some organizations, such as the Red Cross, the local Area Agency on Aging, and the National Family Caregivers Association, can prove to be invaluable with the information and classes they offer.
  4. Ask for help – Don’t try to do everything yourself otherwise you will quickly become overwhelmed and burnt out. Have a plan in place as to which family members or friends will be available to provide some help or relief. If you don’t have friends or family that can help out, you may want to consider hiring a home health care aide.
  5. Financial and legal matters – This is an area that brings up topics that may be uncomfortable or upsetting but it is best in the long run to have these issues worked out sooner rather than later. Contact a social worker, a law attorney for the elderly, or geriatric care manager for advisement about financial and legal matters.
  6. Make time for yourself – It is very easy to become so consumed with taking care of someone else that you forget about yourself. This can prove to be damaging to not only your health and well-being over time but also that of your loved one. Set aside at least 30 minutes every day to do something you enjoy.

Being a new caregiver requires learning how to manage and juggle several aspects of your life. You must be patient and understanding in the process. Following the tips mentioned above will be helpful in most situations.

For more information about how the caregivers at La Jolla Nurses Homecare can help your aging parents remain living independently in their own homes, call 858-454-9339. We are an elder agency providing quality and affordable caregiving service in La Jolla CA, and the surrounding communities.

Brittnei Salerno

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