(Add to Favorites | View All Articles | Resource Directory)
|
|
|
Don't be embarrassed to ask for help!Helping Care givers Get Comfortable Asking For HelpBecoming a care giver might not have been a conscious decision on your part. It may have arrived quietly and unnoticed because you are the adult child of your elderly parents who now require care or you may have a special needs child that exacts your constant attention or a friend or spouse has become very ill and needs your support. In any of these situations the impact of providing constant care is tremendous. One of the most difficult things about taking on a care giver role is that feeling of isolation, that sense of being all alone. Often times we think we need to do the job completely by ourselves, that the responsibility lays entirely with us. That's not true. You can ask for help. Here's a few tips that will encourage you to get comfortable asking for and receiving the help you need in caring for a loved one. 1. First of all, recognize that care giving can definitely become a very responsible, overwhelming and isolating job. And also recognize that it's a sign of strength to ask for help. It means that you understand the situation and have begun to take a proactive approach to making your life better. 2. Your role may be the primary caregiver and with that in mind, it is very important to include your extended family as part of your care giving team. Perhaps your family members could provide some specific help such as handling yard work, preparing some meals, helping with financial issues, taking on the primary role so you can get away on vacation. 3. Write down all the tasks that need to be done on a weekly basis, the ones that you are most concerned about. These may include working outside the home, getting to doctor appointments, driving the kids to after school activities, laundry, cooking, cleaning, filling out forms, picking up medicines, therapy sessions, regular family duties, etc. When you see them in 'black and white' you will quickly realize just why it is you are so tired and why you need to accept any offers of help. 4. Become very aware of your monthly schedule and how others might be able to slip into the caregiver role and give you a hand. Remember, you must be ready to give them a date, time and duties when they offer assistance to you. Make a list of specific tasks that someone else could handle for you. Perhaps it's hands on assistance with personal care for your loved one or providing transportation to an appointment or activity, administering medications, helping with housework, doing the grocery shopping. You may even want to categorize these tasks so it will be easier to help decide who might be the best person for the job. It's very important for you to learn to ask for and accept help when it is offered. Care giving at the best of times is certainly more than a 'one man job'. Realize just how extraordinary you are as a human being and recognize how important you are in caring for your loved one. Love, honor and value yourself. Remember, by taking good care of your own health and emotions you will in turn be better able to help your loved one and enjoy a happier, less stressful lifestyle. Lois Galloway is a Professional Coach. Lois is also the founder of Discover Yourself Coaching which specializes in coaching and caring for caregivers. To learn more about how you, as a caregiver can live 97% guilt free, please visit her web site at http://www.discoveryourselfcoaching.com You can also sign up for the Caregivers Monthly Newsletter.
MORE RESOURCES: News provided by Yahoo! News and Google News Jobless claims fall, trade gap narrows on oil - Reuters Obama health bill holds key to elderly care fees - Financial Times Labour's elderly care funding plans will hit middle classes with 10% death tax - Daily Mail Elderly care being used as political football - Public Service Resident of elderly care facility found in Regina - Vulcan Advocate Woman helps elderly care for their pets, especially cats - Chicago Sun-Times Elderly care 'must be fair and simple' - Craegmoor News Elderly care center planned - Myrtle Beach Sun News For sale: Talega elderly care home at $1M - OCRegister (blog) |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Help combat depression for your senior freinds and family Sixty-five year old Arthur Jones served a self-imposed life sentence - in his own home.Arthur lived in a high crime neighborhood, so he built iron cages around his outside doors and installed bars on all the windows. Why you should become Certified as a Senior Approved Service Are your clients pleased by the fine quality service that you provide? Validating your clients' endorsement of you through Certification as a Senior Approved Service will increase your client base. Senior Approved Certification leads a family towards a service like yours side stepping the possibility of connecting with a less than desirable service. Using your Life Insurance to pay for long-term care It's not a surprise that thousands of families across the nation are facing the challlenges of an aging population. The "sandwich" generation, those who are caring for their children as well as their parents, have been feeling the financial pinch of caring for loved ones. As the Baby Boomers Age Many employees today are calling in sick - not to care for themselves or their children, but to care for their aging parents. Baby boomers are rapidly moving into the role of caregivers for their parents, but with a few extra challenges due to the changing face of our workforce. Alzheimers treatment facilities As a person ages, a certain amount of memory loss and confusion is quite normal. Personally, I've been known to invoke the cliché, "The older I get, the better I was!" Unfortunately, Alzheimer's disease represents a more serious loss of mental sharpness and calls for special care for seniors. While standing in line for a prescription... I finally went to the doctor this morning for my bad cold. My appointment was for 9:30 am and yet I didn't get home until after 1:00 pm. The Golden Years 1) What does Adrian Mitchell say we do to people when their working lives are over?Adrian says that "when a man's too ill to work we punish him", rob him of half his income or replace it with "pocket money" and or place him in a retirement home to sit out the remainder of his live in isolation.2) What does he think about this?Adrian thinks that "the old people are being robbed" and says "to hell with retiring" he believes that the way that deal with old people (to have your ability to sport yourself removed and then being given "pocket money"). Don't be embarrassed to ask for help! Becoming a care giver might not have been a conscious decision on your part. It may have arrived quietly and unnoticed because you are the adult child of your elderly parents who now require care or you may have a special needs child that exacts your constant attention or a friend or spouse has become very ill and needs your support. The King's Box of Trinkets The King had a modest kingdom. He was Danish. Long-Term Care Insurance is Essential - Why, and what to look for Don't think you need it? Consider this: a full 50% of Americans over the age of 50 will need long term care at some point in their lives. The average cost of nursing facility care (or home health care assistance) is $61,000 per year, and the average stay in a long term care facility is 2½ years. How Seniors Can Benefit from Anaerobic Exercise by Phil Campbell, M.S. Cherish the moments you have - now It was right about this time, 19 years ago. My wife and I were sitting in the very last Lamaze birthing class, soon to be brand new parents. How far does a child's responsibility to care for their parents go? It happens somewhat slowly in the beginning, maybe with a small cough that gets worse as time goes on. It might simply begin with absent mindedness which is totally out of character, followed by total memory lapses. Stair Lifts for curved staircases There are two types of stairlift. Straight and curved. Tennessee DHS Abuse of Seniors - The rest of the story PART I: Physical Abuse of the Elderly vs. Tennessee DHS Abuse of FamiliesDuring the week of October 26, 2003, newspapers across the state of Tennessee published an Associated Press story that featured the glaring news headline, "Reports of neglect and abuse of senior citizens up 40% in six years. Protecting Seniors from Fraud Ruth is 87 years old this year and has been living alone since 1997. She is in good health, however the daily chores around the home became increasingly difficult. Do some research before buying any Stair Lift There is no doubt that having a stair lift in your home can dramatically improve your quality of life. If you are starting to find that climbing the stairs is becoming a hazardous experience, or just hard work, then a stair lift could be the answer. Selecting a reputable senior care service Good news! You no longer have to risk chance when it comes to selecting a reputable elder care service for yourself or for a loved one. Senior Approved Services has certified a select number of businesses in our area serving the elderly and disabled populations. Wheelchair accessories can make life easier and more comfortable Wheelchairs come in every shape and size with sufficient options that you can find the wheels you like to take you where you want to go with the assistance you need. To enhance the comfort and convenience of your journey, choose accessories tailored to provide the best support for your activities and your health concerns. Long term Care Insurance - Probably the most important asset you could ever own If you're 60 to 70 years old ..
|
| home | site map | articles |
| © 2006 |