As a caregiver, there are a few tips and tricks that most start to develop as they gain years of experience providing care for someone else loved one. Of course, everyone is different and needs extra care, but there are a few consistent things that should be done for every patient. These basic needs will help keep your patient from feeling stressed and dependent on your care. Here are the top four caregiving essentials that all home care professionals need to provide.
Routines are Essential
Having your patient on a strict routine day by day will help with day to daycare. When providing a schedule, the patient will know what is going to happen and when. For example, bathing; many elderly patients don’t enjoy bathing due to the fear of injury. When bathing, your senior may be on an everyday schedule or a few times a week. Knowing when it is coming will result in a better outcome. Providing a routine will reduce stress and anxiety on daily activities that the patient may hate doing. They can at least work up the courage to do whatever activity that needs to get done.
Being on the Lookout for Subtle Clues can be a Lifesaver
Be sure to be on the lookout for any clues that there may be some underlying medical issues that your patient is having—for example, foot rubs. When your senior is asking for a foot rub, again and again, maybe something other than feeling pleasure, there may be some discomfort in their feet or ankles that could be harmful to their health. When patients ask for a message, they are in pain, but they may feel as if they are a burden and don’t want to bother a loved one. These could save their life in the long run.
Listen and Take Action When Needed
Be aware of interactions with your patients and their family members. They could be not communicating correctly over not so desirable topics, such as the loved one’s overall health. This could cause stress to the patient. If you see some difficulties with things like stairs, walking, etc., take action and suggest to the patient’s family that something needs to be done to provide better overall health. Be sure to listen and take action when needed, but be respectful as well.
Stay Connected: Virtually or in Person
When a patient lives alone or doesn’t have many loved ones, it can be somewhat lonely. Stay connected with them. Of course, in person is always the best option, but calling them when you are away just to check on them and allow them to let out all that built-up need for compassion will help with their stress, anxiety, and loneliness. You can also show them how to stay connected with friends or family who are out of state by providing lessons on social media. Helping out with Facebook, Twitter, or online games, you give comfort to them by showing them how they can reach out to people when they require a light-hearted conversation. Lastly, finding groups for your patient to help with the loneliness, such as bingo, elderly book clubs, or community elder groups. These groups can provide companionship when you’re not around to do so. It will also help with having your patient to look forward too. Yes, the same routine can be boring and tedious, but having something to look forward to can help with depression and have the elder become stuck in a rut.
Conclusion
Every home care aide should be able to provide these essential services. It is not hard to ensure that your patient receives the best care from you when using these best practices. This won’t only make it easier for you, but your patient. These basic tricks will reduce anxiety, depression, and loneliness. Most of the time, these tips and tricks work on different patients, but others have trouble adapting to having someone come into their home to provide care. But if these tricks are shown daily, your senior will pick up on it and allow your services to be more useful. Be sure to show patience, understanding, and safety for each of your elders you care for. These tips will help you become a better caregiver for many people who require your services. If you are interested in joining a team that provides services and resources just like this, check out TLC Nursing. This team is well versed, caring, and knowledgeable on their services.
