Posts Tagged ‘Care’

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Caregivers Are an Absolute Legend in the Field of Giving Care

by bobcrabtree1 Posted: Friday, 1/8/2010

The care and attention that these caregivers offer their patients are what an absolute legend is made up of. Imagine the sacrifices they do just to make sure that people under their care are given the utmost care that they need. It takes patience that knows no limits to be able to keep up with the demands of this really hard profession that they have chosen.

Caregivers are people who give care for others. They may or may not be relatives but their responsibility is still the same – to give care to the people who need their services the most. As mentioned there are two types of caregivers, the first is the caregiver who is a part of the family; second is the professional caregiver who is paid to take care of an old or sick person.

Let’s talk about the caregiver who is a member of the family. They are unpaid people who give care for the people they love. They do this sometimes because of family obligations but a lot of times out of love for the one needing care. These types of caregivers are the ones who need to be supported by the other members of the family the most. They are the ones who absorb all the challenges that the sick person gets and they are the ones who see the frustration and pain day in and day out as well.

Caregivers who are is member of the family get too emotionally involved and would sometimes feel that they are partly to blame why the one needing care if in pain. They would tend to deny it, but deep inside they are pushing their selves even beyond their limits. The other family members should be able to identify these silent emotional breakdowns by the one giving care.

It is important that the other members of the family give the caregiver a break every now and then to recharge and to live her own life. Mini vacations are truly important so that these caregivers can take a break and come back refreshed and ready to give the utmost care for the patient again. Considering the emotional and physical strain that care giving gives to the caregiver, it is not wonder why they are truly an absolute legend.

Truly Deeply is a Creative Branding Agency based in Melbourne, Australia. Keywords that define our business are Brand Strategy, Brand Agency, Brand Design, Graphic Design Melbourne and Corporate Image.

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Care for Caregivers–the Forgotten Ones

by bobcrabtree1 Posted: Wednesday, 1/6/2010

Known as part of the ‘sandwich’ generation, the typical caregiver is a 46-year-old female Baby Boomer with some college education who works full time, has her own partner and family and spends more than 20 hours per week caring for her parents who live nearby.

 

Caregivers are usually alert to the stresses of people they help. In addition to the pure physical stress, there’s the emotional and intellectual stress of trying to fit in the care-giving with family responsibilities.  There’s usually a huge dollop of guilt somewhere in there too, that they are not doing enough for either the parents, or their own family. They are not, however, alert to the stress and fatigue that can slowly surface in their own lives, until something drastic happens.

 

Either a parent dies, or becomes more ill and unmanageable and crisis decisions have to be made or the caregiver becomes ill through stress and fatigue.

 

“It’s usually at this point, they come into the clinic for help,” explains Dr. Georgina Cannon, author and director of the Ontario Hypnosis Centre school and clinic. “They

want to learn how to de-stress and get more energy, because usually they are bone

tired. They feel fragile, overwhelmed and burned out.”

 

Because the problem is so common, Cannon developed a three-point self-care program

that she gives to these clients, and encourages them to pass it on to their friends in

the same situation.

 

Eat well – avoid junk food and simple carbs which raise the insulin levels and cause the body even more stress. Lots of fruit, veggies and easy to prepare protein, like grilled chicken or fish. Perhaps try batch cooking for the family and for on-the-run eating.

 

Include yourself on the list of people you’re taking care of. Take time, MAKE TIME for yourself, even if it’s only 30 minutes in the morning quiet time – maybe a walk, self hypnosis, or a long shower. It’s not an indulgence, it’s a necessity.  Cannon teaches her clients how to do self hypnosis and relax almost instantly. 

 

Spend time with your family and friends – remember the person inside the care giver’s skin.  That person deserves to feel the love and interaction of family and friends.

 

“The self hypnosis program is a gift they give to themselves” explains Cannon, “It is something, once learned, can be used to achieve any goal – including stress management.  And if you practice it daily, you can reduce the time it takes do de-compress down to less than two minutes!”

 

Dr. Georgina Cannon, certified master clinical hynotherapist, is an international award-winning teacher, lecturer and Director of the Ontario Hypnosis Centre in Toronto, ON. Dr. Cannon is recognized by many in the media as “The Source” for expert opinion in the field of hypnotherapy and issues around complementary wellness treatments, and she regularly meets with medical and wellness professionals to enhance their knowledge and awareness of hypnosis and the dynamic healing potential of soul, or past life journeys. She is a regular guest on Shirley Maclaine, where she hosts a monthly chat moderated by Shirley. Dr. Cannon is also the author of Discovering the Interlife. For more information on Dr. Georgina Cannon please visit: www.ont-hypnosis-centre.com

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What to Look for in Residential Elder Care Homes

by bobcrabtree1 Posted: Wednesday, 1/6/2010

A snippet of residential care facilities in different advertisements gives us a glimpse of its environment. Before you step inside a care home, think about the needs of your elder person and prepare a questionnaire. It is always advisable to research each potential care homes since there are no federal standards for these homes. States with licensing regulations provide surveys on each residential care home, so start by contacting your state?s department of aging for information, or ask each residential care home for its survey.

First of all, don’t judge home care facilities by their outside decorations and internal glamour. Ambiences are good, but the most important aspect is the caregivers experience and background. Your loved ones will be looking for care with dignity. If the caregiver is joyful and happy, the residents will be happy too. The glamour and decorations do not mean quality care. The following points are required to be kept in mind:

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The Sandwich Generation: Care For the Caregiver in Mt. Laurel New Jersey

by bobcrabtree1 Posted: Friday, 1/1/2010

“The Sandwich Generation”: those caught between caring for their aging parents and their own children. Many Baby Boomers (the generation born between 1946-1961) find themselves a part of this Sandwich Generation. The typical Baby Boomer is a 46 year old female, having some college education, and working full time. This is the typical demographic of the person trying to balance a full time job, caring for elderly parents and caring for their own growing children. It goes without saying that trying to juggle these responsibilities comes at a cost-usually to the caregiver. But who cares for the caregiver?

If you find yourself in this group, it is very important to remember to care of yourself. If you don’t, the stress of juggling so many responsibilities will take its toll on you. Remember, you are no good to anyone if you are not taking care of yourself.

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Taking Care Of Elderly Relatives – It Is A Pain Only When You Think It Is!

by bobcrabtree1 Posted: Friday, 1/1/2010

All of us have experienced our children throwing a tantrum while out on a shopping or in public. Even if the parent tries to calm the situation down, in most cases it only worsens it. Parents, as a result, feel embarrassed and you can only sympathize with them. A parent?s emotion is a mixed bag as they would not only feel sorry about it but also call the child everything from moody to spoilt. However, the role of caretaker is no different. This sometimes can be more embarrassing and humiliating than a parent-child drama.

If you get used to your job of taking care of an elderly relative or any elderly person for that matter, the whole issue of tantrums can become a part and parcel of your job. If you aren?t accustomed to this sort of a situation, it might be difficult to cope up with. If it happens to be your relative, you have no choice but to cope up with all the tantrums they show up on you. It doesn?t matter how difficult it might turn out to be, you will be left with no choices. There are ways to cope up with these predicaments too.

Firstly, it would be nice on your part to research on the source of tantrum rather than telling them how humiliating their behavior is. You have to get a little more relaxed about the whole situation and try to understand it better. What the elderly relative is feeling might not even be close to what your frustration is all about. If you multiply yours by ten, it still wouldn?t reach the figure of the amount of frustration the elder is going through. Try to imagine yourself being stuck somewhere in your body and having thoughts recurring at the same point preventing from thinking straight. You will end up reacting in the same way as your relative and thus concluding how tough it is.

But all this can help you cope up with the pressure-cooker kind of a situation only to some extent. The unreasonable behavior of these people will provoke more potent feelings in you when it is directed at you in a different manner. There will be no scope for reasoning if this high voltage situation gets personal. You will have to raise your bar and cope up with it. Take breaks from the individual you are taking care of, just for a few moments might help you greatly. If you wish to ignore the behavior you believe is affecting you, then this might even work out for a long time. It can help you have time to gather your thoughts back.

In most cases, the unreasonable and intolerable behavior lasts for only sometime. It is fact that, we have got to accept, even elderly people can suffer from mental illness and are liable to go through phases just like children do. You will have to fight your way through whatever the case maybe. Since every person is unique, there is no certain definitive way to solve this problem. Listening to music r probably taking a small walk can calm the situation down. You will see yourself building some resistance to this and all of a sudden you will start to have the tolerance and patience to cope up with the elder.

As time would fly, you will be experienced enough to spot the tantrums from the subject concerned and simply ignore it when it comes to you. All this will not happen overnight but eventually. You have the upper hand then since you would have figured out what works best for you. Think of the elderly relative as a child, if it helps. In fact, it is what they are as treating a child is no rocket science compared to dealing with the adult. If you possess the right temperament the situation can be dealt with ease.

Abhishek successfully runs an Old Age Home and he has got some great Eldercare Secrets up his sleeves! Download his FREE 80 Pages Ebook, “How To Take Great Care Of Elders” from his website http://www.Senior-Guides.com/560/index.htm . Only limited Free Copies available.

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Respecting The Rights Of Senior Citizens – 4 Factors To Pick The Right Care Facility For The Elderly

by bobcrabtree1 Posted: Thursday, 12/31/2009

There is no formal ‘Senior Citizens Bill of Rights’, but as individuals, senior citizens are entitled to their rights. However, the senior citizens have little energy left in them in their old age to fight for their rights and therefore, it is the duty of the children to see that their elderly parents are getting what they are rightfully entitled to.

Every right must be claimed to be deemed as a right. There are laws in existence for the running of nursing homes for the elderly and retirement communities. Even if your elderly mom or dad is in an assisted care facility, there are certain laws that are fundamental and expected to be followed by these care facilities too. It is your duty as a caregiver to see that they are following the laws and living up to the expectations.

There are some factors that you must verify before selecting a facility for your elderly parents:
? Ensure that the facility will provide the basic cleanliness and safety. Check out the evacuation plans in place, in case of an emergency situation. Verify whether the evacuation plan is a workable one, considering the fact that the facility may be full of elderly and invalids who may be slow in moving out of the building in case of a fire. Find out if there is emergency power available to operate the automatic doors and elevators so that everyone can get out safely.
? If food is provided by the facility, ensure that meals will be provided three times a day. The meals should be healthy and the food should be delivered to the room if your parent is disabled or injured. There should be some variety in the diet and since there is a separate charge for the food, it is not wrong to expect some quality and variety in the food.
? If your parent has moved to an assisted care facility, they have every right to live as they wish in that apartment, since they have paid for it. However, they have to observe certain restrictions because they are living in a community setting. They should be able to live without any interference from the staff of the facility and have the freedom to select the d

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A Caregiver Babysitter – Use The Best Care Giver Agency!

by bobcrabtree1 Posted: Thursday, 12/31/2009

Do you need a simple and effective means of discovering a caregiver babysitter? Parents all need, at one time or another, a break from that exhausting daily kids handling routine. If you’re among the many without a network of alternate care-givers who will be willing to come to your aid, then hiring a trustworthy sitter can be a big stress-reliever. One of the most efficient means of locating a responsible babysitter is to employ a web-based child care agency. Continue reading these hints and learn how to find a caretaker for your child by taking advantage of what’s on the web.

When searching for someone you can entrust your children to, you probably have a list of your personal demands – maturity, background, feasibility of transportation, availability, what they charge, how much school they’ve attended, necessary skills? There are many child care specialists who appear to meet your needs, the question is – how to locate the one that will work out best for you? The most efficient way to locate a caregiver babysitter is to rely on cross-country babysitting databases on the internet that have the best data to coordinate between potential caregivers and employers who both live in the same geographic region.

You can now find babysitting agencies on the internet which will allow you to precisely and carefully specify the requirements for the type of person you need and in a matter of seconds supply you with a custom-built list of candidates. There is a specialized babysitter finder that can go through and evaluate each childcare provider’s profile and then match it with a prospective employer. You will be able to find babysitting professionals, full time or part time, university students or older, who now reside in your area.

Highly proficient employment agencies will make it possible to connect with possible childcare providers via their own simple mail program. This creates an easy process of getting in touch with suitable childcare providers and allows you to make the first move in screening the babysitters. Internet babysitter matching sites can also provide help with many serious questions which are related to hiring a babysitter, such as the essential background investigation and then the interview. Finding a caregiver babysitter is possible with the use of a no-charge locator tool which is a standard feature of each online babysitting company, but actually connecting with the users requires a registration fee. Reflecting on the usefulness of these childcare provider placement tools, they seem to be a very fast and economical solution to a complicated process. If you want to treat yourself to a night out to have a bite out and perhaps see a film and you find yourself without suitable childcare, then we can offer an easy solution. There is nothing to stop you from discovering the childcare provider of your dreams!

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Elderly Care – Aged and Elderly Depression

by bobcrabtree1 Posted: Thursday, 12/31/2009

Depression in the elderly is…unfortunately, a common occurrence due to loneliness, lack of family support or because of chronic illnesses. Very often depression in the aged is not reported and treated due to the social stigma attached with this condition or due to plain ignorance on part of the family of the elderly person. This not only doesn’t help them, but can worsentheir condition and make them susceptible to other ailments…including sometimes suicide.

Also, elderly depression can occur due to the death of a spouse…which increases lonliness. Also, side-effects from certain medicines or due to certain long-term illnesses like diabetes and arthritis can have a profound effect on depression. The depression must be treated as soon as possible. Without fast treatment, it can lead to suicidal tendencies on part of the patient or death from premature heart attack, stroke and other serious diseases. One group known to be at risk from depression in the elderly include widowed women. Others at high risk are those not being able to cope with stress in their lives. Low self-confidence due to diseases like cancer and loss of limb causing disfigurement can easily lead to depression. Many elderly may have a family history of depression and get depressed due to apprehension of dying. Some elderly may have an addiction to alcohol or drugs contributing to their depression.

So, what can be done to help depression in the aged? Counseling and a therapy of antidepressants can help. (note: always see a licensed therapist and physican). The therapist will prescribe antidepressants if they feel they are required. During initial prescriptions of these drugs the patient has to be watched carefully as the side-effects and results of a reaction can be serious. These medicines show their effect over a period of time since they are given in small doses. In fact, it wouldn’t hurt to have a medical alertalarm for the depressed person just in case they feel the need to contact emergency personnel.

Psychotherapy is very effective in dealing with depression in the elderly as the patient can share their feelings and insecurities with the therapist. This helps them to identify the main problem and initiates a curative process to overcome depression. Of course, a loving family can help tremendously. Depression is a sensitive issue which, can be treated with love and patience along with therapy and medication.

Ron Rougeaux has written articles which can be seen at his website at: Elderly Help Information and Resources concerning the elderly and aged on subjects of elderly care, abuse, retirement, medical needs, and much more…
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Is Elderly Care at Home the Best Choice?

by bobcrabtree1 Posted: Tuesday, 12/29/2009

Taking care of an elderly person in their own home often seems like the first and best option for families. Most seniors want more than anything to stay at home, and their families want to see them remain independent as long as possible.

Asking an elderly person to make the best long term plans and choose the “best” options doesn’t always work, however. An elderly person who wants desperately to stay at home will often deny problems and safety hazards that are glaringly obvious to everyone else. So, adult children and other family members are the ones who may have to ultimately make some of these decisions.

Caregiving spouses and adult children have often made promises to do whatever is necessary to keep an aging person at home. Often they have made this committment when the older person was still living an active and independent life. When the disabilities of aging begin to crop up, these famiy members feel guilty even thinking about alternatives to care at home.

Very few family members can leave jobs and their own family responsibilities to manage a senior’s care at home full time. With the passage of time, family caregivers often find that they are stretched beyond the breaking point by the needs of their elderly family member. Sooner or later, almost everyone will have to turn to outside help to make home care possible.

The trick to making aging at home successful is to anticipate changes before they happen, and to ask the important “what if” questions early.

If a senior is both able to afford and willing to accept non-family care, then staying at home can be a very successful option. If home care is not affordable, or if your senior will not willingly accept help from someone other than family, then remaining at home will probably not be a good choice for long term elder care.

Ideally, seniors and family members will talk frankly about both the financial and the personal facts openly and honestly long before the need is obvious. If a senior is firm that no outsider will ever be accepted into his or her home, it’s better to know early that getting professional home care assistance will be a fight.
Unfortunately, many families aren’t able to talk frankly about these issues. If your elderly relative refuses to talk about those future “what ifs,” this may be your clue that home care may be difficult when it’s most needed. An assisted living residence might actually be more acceptable to this senior than having someone “invade” their home.

If home care would be acceptable, but the available funds won’t stretch to cover the cost of private elderly care at home, starting early will permit everyone to look at and talk frankly about less expensive alternatives before a crisis occurs.

The ElderCare Team has all the important information you need to know about home care options and your many alternatives at http://www.eldercareteam.com

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Elder Care – Things We Don’t Really Bother To Talk About

by bobcrabtree1 Posted: Monday, 12/28/2009

Ever heard of the phrase “The 200 pound gorilla in the room”? This is a phrase referring to some topic which is at the top of everyone’s mind, but no one talks about it. Everyone knows that the gorilla is here, but no one wants to talk about this and get the gorilla upset.

Whenever you spend time with an elderly person, there is a gorilla in the room. This topic can be perfectly associated with old people, but a topic that not many dare to cross, maybe because they find it rather upsetting, or maybe they just don’t know how to say it. But this is a topic which dominates your elderly parents’ minds practically every single day. The gorilla in the room refers to death and the life-ending matters that are pending in every elderly person’s life.

As your elderly parents’ primary caregiver, you ought to be aware of how much importance this topic is to your parents. In case you have lost a parent, the spouse has greater meaning and awareness of the issue. However, there are some very good reason to avoid talking about life ending issues and impending death with your senior citizen. This is because there are plenty of final issues that must be decided upon before the time arrives. They include

> Do not give any advance document directive decisions to the end of life medical personnel.
> The conditions of the will.
> Any wishes that the elderly person may have about his or her funeral plans.
> A brief review of the insurance and financial documents that the person with the power of attorney or the Will’s executor will resolve.

In order to talk about the end of life issues which are related to death with your elderly parents, you must be emotionally stable to withstand it. Most of us bury these ominous thoughts in a trick and we just like to think that we may not go through this. Perhaps we do that because we are comfortable thinking about life itself, and have a strong feeling of discomfort while discussing afterlife and other religious ideas.

To be mentally prepared to care for your parents and be an effective counsellor to your aging parent, you must ensure that you have enough peace and resolution regarding the topic. If this means you need to confront your anxieties about religion, you must accept it as a part of being an adult because your dependants including your children as well as your aging parents may look up to you for answers related to that area. It may take some courage on your part, but it is important that you face these issues so that you can help you aging parents do the same.

If you have strong faith in religion and if your aging parents share that opinion, it is probably the right time to discuss afterlife assurances that have been dealt with in your religion. Spend time with your aging parents reading texts about the doctrine of heaven and gain comfort from it. This may bring new hope and peace to your parents because they will realize that leaving this world does not imply the end of their life.

Do not allow the 200 pound gorilla continue its stay. Discuss the issue of death and afterlife with your elderly parents, and handle it with kindness and compassion. By doing so, you will assist your parents in attaining spiritual acceptance and mental peace about the rest of their golden age and the time they have left on earth.

Abhishek successfully runs an Old Age Home and he has got some great Eldercare Secrets up his sleeves! Download his FREE 80 Pages Ebook, “How To Take Great Care Of Elders” from his website http://www.Senior-Guides.com/560/index.htm . Only limited Free Copies available.

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