As a new caregiver, you may feel overwhelmed by the amount of information you need to take in at one time. Indeed, you have a lot to learn, and you likely received it in random order making it difficult to figure out what goes with what. First Steps provides an organized approach to getting started as a caregiver. How to assess your situation to create a plan begins the process. Once you have a plan drafted, you move on to implementing it.
Learning How to Do a Health Assessment When I worked as a home health nurse and received a new patient assignment, I always did a health assessment the first time I met the patient. The purpose of the health assessment was to check out the patient from head to toe to see for myself if …
Feels Overwhelming. After first becoming a caregiver, one of the most difficult tasks is learning what to keep and let go. With caregiving, you acquired full responsibility for care, decision-making, finances, appointments, health monitoring, supplies, and, let’s not forget, entertainment for possibly someone who doesn’t want you telling them what to do. Yet, at the …
Did I Mean What I Said or Say What I Meant? When two people have a conversation, both come with preconceived ideas regarding how it will go. When getting started as caregivers and planning a difficult conversation about job duties, we sometimes have trouble saying what we mean. Instead of saying what we want to …
Having the right equipment makes all the difference in how well you function. Purchasing mobility equipment is like buying a suit of clothes; one size does NOT fit all. It’s important to have an experienced technician measure your family member to the equipment to fit it correctly. For example, when buying a wheelchair, it …
Traveling and Entertainment with a Disability Can Be Very Frustrating if Unprepared Caregiver travelers beware: If a hotel advertises that a room is disability accessible, they probably mean that it has handrails in the bathroom. Traveling and entertainment with a disability are not for the faint of heart. Information received in advance of arrival …
What to do about Grandpa? Living arrangements present a challenge for many families. Siblings debate who should be responsible for parents who can no longer live alone. Is it the one who lives closest or the one who is retired? As the children debate where the parents should live, Dad stubbornly …
Caregiving is expensive. One way to avoid financial hardship is to establish a budget based on household and medical necessities as you begin planning care. When the need for caregiving becomes a reality, take time to look over all your financial needs and the possible resources available to help with medical expenses because caregiving is …
Helping someone who has trouble moving or helping themselves requires a lot of strength, flexibility, and energy. Many times, unexpected movements cause muscle strain or back injuries. Special transfer or moving equipment (often called durable medical equipment or DME) helps reduce the risk of these injuries, but the cost is high. Before buying …
Developing a Plan of Care After completing a health assessment, you have a baseline for your family member and a starting place for developing a plan of care. A comparison with the baseline can show an improvement or decline in their state of health. Initially, compare their baseline to the normal for their age, …
What happens if the primary caregiver is unavailable to provide care? Many caregivers have medical problems they neglect or develop over years of providing care to family members. Eventually, however, everyone becomes sick, and try as they might, they cannot come to work. The same is true of caregivers, …
