Senior Care Provider Tips

As a senior care provider, I’ve learned what works when providing senior care to clients. Below are just a few tips that I have learned in providing senior care.

Eat Fruit Daily

Eating fruit daily is associated with a reduction in the risk of heart disease. There was a 17 year study of 11,000 people. This study was published in the British Medical Journal. Among those in the study who ate fresh fruit every day, there were 24 percent fewer deaths from heart disease and heart attacks. There were 32 percent fewer deaths from strokes. For the greatest health benefits please remember to eat fruit daily. If you cannot eat whole fruit try juicing fresh fruit. If you have difficulty with that get the frozen fruit. In a time of sickness this will prove to be of great benefit to your family.

One third of all caregivers describe their own health as fair to poor. In other words, they give care at the expense of their own well-being. If you are a caregiver, have you expereinced chronic low-grade aches and pains? Are you constantly trying new drugs or alternative medications to get more energy? Listen to your body. It is important that you begin to address your own needs before you suffer a break down or a serious illness.

Here are some strategies that I hope will help you be a realistic caregiver.

Get enough sleep

Visit your doctor for a checkup if you are not feeling well.

Exercise to relieve tension, even if it’s only walking around the block.

Learn to say yes if others offer help. If they do not do things to your satisfaction, let go of your controlling tendencies.

Stay in touch with friends.

Remember, it is okay not to know all the answers. Their is no single, correct way to provide care.

Make a detailed list of what you do for your parents and read it over when you think you are not doing enough. GIVE YOURSELF CREDIT

Alzheimer’s has been described as a disease of two people-the patient confined by the caregiver for his/her own safety, and the caregiver virtually imprisoned because the patient canot be left alone. As Alzheimers progresses over time, it taxes every level of physical and emotional life for the caregiver.

Caregiving can be a thankless and physically grueling job. While the stress of caring for a young child is offset by the anticipation of a bright future, caring for an againg parent holds no such hope. Caregiver burnout must be treated with compassion and awereness. Until you walk down that road, you will not understand the guilt, frustration, and exhaustion of trying to deliever anequate twenty-four-hour care to someone you love. Oddly, caregivers traditionally do not give themselves credit, because they never think they’ve done enough. If you are a primary caregiver, you must learn to care for yourself and start asking for help now.

Speaking to People with  Hearing Loss

• Use a first name before you speak to draw their attention to you
• Speak a little more slowly than what you consider to be normal
• Do not yell, shout, speak rapidly or speak with exaggerated mouth movement
• Keep your hands and objects away from your face while speaking
• Avoid speaking while eating, chewing, smoking and drinking
• Always face the hearing impaired person
• Do not try to converse from another room or with your back turned