Have you ever told a caregiver, “Take care of yourself?” I have. If you are a busy caregiver, you may want to roll your eyes. A hot shower or bubble bath may be the extent of your alone time.
Caregiver self-care goes beyond the obvious. Practicing safety is one important way caregivers can, and should, practice self-care.
Personal Medical Care
When I was caring for my parents, I did not think I had time for my own physical and mental health. I missed three dental appointments, and waited until I was desperate to seek medical treatment for depression.
Caregivers, I encourage you to prioritize your own needs and well-being.
- Keep up on vaccinations.
- Schedule screenings such as mammograms, skin cancer, and prostrate checks.
- Stay on top of dental care.
- Pay attention to your mental health, when depression and anxiety creep in, seek therapeutic or medical care.
Ignoring your own health will run you down, making you useless to your care recipient. Caregivers of a partner with dementia often pass away before their loved one. You too are important.
Physical Limitations
One significant risk of caregiving is lifting, shifting, or moving someone beyond your physical capacity. Muscle and bone injuries can land you in urgent care, and even strains can put you out of commission. Be careful while performing these tasks:
- Lifting or shifting a person in bed.
- Bending and stretching while helping a person dress or bathe.
- Carrying heavy loads – wheelchair lifting, carrying groceries up or down stairs, bringing in large parcels.
- Helping someone get up when they have fallen.
Environmental Safety
We do not think about exposure risks until after an accident. Raise your awareness of these situations:
- Administrating medication. The first time I gave my husband a needle injection the medication ran down my hand. Ask for training at a clinic, pharmacy, or consult an expert as I did (my nephew with Type 1 diabetes.) Always wear gloves.
- Along with this comes needle pricks. Again, practice safety, and store used needles in a Sharps container or equivalent.
- COVID taught us about infectious disease transmission. Wear masks, gloves, and other personal protective equipment as applicable. Keep supplies handy.
- Spills or misuse of cleaning agents can be hazardous. Accidents happen when we are stressed or not paying full attention to the tasks at hand.
Emergencies and Personal Safety
- Alzheimer’s and other brain diseases can lead to personality changes, which may include increased anger and abusive behavior. In a crisis, first make certain any children are safe. If necessary, leave the house, and do not hesitate to call 911.
- Gun safety is critical. We hear too many horror stories of gun accidents when one person has dementia or is mentally ill. Keep guns locked or get them out of the house.
- When we are distracted falls can easily happen. If you fall, take a deep breath, stay still, and assess yourself for injuries. Get help if an injury is severe or if you have hit your head.
If your loved one has cognitive brain issues you cannot count on them to practice safety. You must be the responsible one. If you need to call 911 let them know if there is someone there with dementia or another brain disorder.
Do a Quick Walk Around
When you enter someone else’s home as a caregiver check for safety hazards:
- Watch out for pets, they have a way of sneaking up behind us.
- Look for tripping risks: cords lying about, slippery rugs, liquid spills.
- Check any stairs for obstructions.
- Keep an eye out for fire hazards such as lit candles, frayed wires, burning cigarettes.
These are a handful of safety ideas. You can find safety checklists on the internet, including worksheets by the National Institute of Aging.
What Else Can the Caregiver Do?
- First, you need healthy boundaries. Communicate with your care partner, let them know what you can or cannot do (if they are able to understand.)
- Share what is happening with other family members, neighbors, or the person’s faith community. Round up help with meals or other tasks to help care for your loved one.
- Even people who live far away can help with researching resources, providing supplies or financial help, or being a listening ear.
- Get professional help with lifting, personal care (such as bathing or dressing,) house cleaning, and transportation. Respite care can be a life saver, whether it be a day program, or multiple days.
- Eat healthy, get your sleep, stay hydrated, and seek help for grief, depression, or anxiety.
Thank you for your time today. I hope these ideas raise your awareness of safety considerations. Find more caregiving resources on www.gracesmessage.com.
Nancy R Poland, Grace’s Message
With grace and hope, Nancy Poland provides written and spoken communication on caregiving, loss, and other valuable topics. She owns what she calls a “micro-business” named “Grace’s Message,” however she has many years of experience in the business world.
In December 2022, Nancy retired from NMDP (previously National Marrow Donor Program/Be The Match) after nearly 28 years of employment. She most recently worked as a Contracts and Compliance Manager and spent over 18 years in management as a people-leader. Nancy has a Bachelor of Arts in social work and a Master of Arts in Health and Human Services Administration. She has authored two books on caregiving, issues a quarterly newsletter, and offers both in-person and virtual presentations.
A life-long resident of the Twin Cities in Minnesota, Nancy and her husband John raised two sons and continue to contribute to their communities, travel, and work on solving British detective shows.
As a working caregiver, Nancy encountered dilemmas such as the following, with no good choices.
- The phone rings, an ambulance is bringing her mom to the hospital (again). Does Nancy stay at work for the rest of the training session, or should she race to meet the ambulance and mom at the hospital?
- Dad is in the care home, in the later stages of dementia. The only day they schedule monthly family conferences is Thursday, no later than 2:30. Should Nancy take a half day off work, leave work and come back, or dial in, and miss out on a face-to-face conversation.
Working caregivers struggle with job obligations, caring for their loved one, and often other family responsibilities. The one they are caring for may be a child with special needs, an aging relative, or an unexpectedly injured spouse. None of us know when we will be called upon to care for another, and trying to balance each facet of life can be a recipe for disaster. When a caregiver has a crisis, it affects not only the ones involved, but also the company.
Studies show caregivers often have increased absenteeism or reduced performance while at work. They often need to cut down work hours or quit. As this is especially true for caregivers of older adults with significant care needs, for this talk I will focus on ways companies and caregivers can partner together to address the ever-increasing needs of caregivers for our aging population.
Website: https://nancyrpoland.com
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