While some caregivers come to the role with prior experience, many new caregivers only know what they learned in health class in school, from watching TV programs, or through life experiences. As a result, realizing all that it takes to manage someone else’s care suddenly becomes overwhelming when they first begin to take on the care of someone else. The caregiver feels like they must learn everything doesn’t know how or where to start.
Helping caregivers figure out what they need and where to get it is the focus of “Starting Out.” Some fundamental topics are helpful for all caregivers to know. “First Steps” presents the basics and then provides additional details you’ll need with “Understanding Healthcare,” “Legal Considerations,” and “Money Management.”
What is a Care Agreement? A care agreement is a written document that spells out what the caregiver and the family member agree will be the caregiver’s job duties. Furthermore, the Agreement includes expectations about job duties, including services, assistance needs, etc. For example, the scope of care may include only activities of […]
The Care Recipient Always Has Final Decision Making Authority Provided Competency Is Present Determining who has authority and the right to final decision-making is often unclear. The person receiving care always maintains final decision-making authority over his care, as long as he remains competent. However, other family members may want
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The Importance of Understanding Lab Values Why is understanding lab values an important skill for a caregiver? After all, the doctor reads the lab work and tracks what is going on with your family member. Why not trust them to handle that part of the care alone? Advantages of Knowing Lab Values Understanding lab work
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Adapting to Caregiving requires a Knowledge of Healthcare Operations Although knowing legal rights is important, understanding medical terminology and how hospitals function is critical when navigating anything related to healthcare. Entering the world of healthcare is like entering a foreign country. Health care workers speak their own language. Their hierarchy of leadership and
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Retiring with Social Security and Medicare Social Security and Medicare are Part of a Government-Sponsored Retirement Plan Social Security and Medicare are part of a government-sponsored retirement plan for qualified working Americans. If you held a job that earned over a set amount each year (amount changed over time) throughout your working lifetime, you paid
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Accessibility to Public Areas Outdoors People with physical limitations have difficulty accessing and using public areas effectively or with the same level of enjoyment or success that non-disabled individuals can. Posted signs declaring a facility or public grounds “Wheelchair Accessible” often misrepresent the truth. Unfortunately, after arriving on-site, they often discover “Wheelchair Accessible” pathways too
Virginia’s Medicaid Each state manages Medicaid for its citizens within the regulatory guidelines established by the federal government. Medicaid is an insurance program like Medicare, though not guaranteed to everyone over 65. Participants must qualify for Medicaid based on income. The Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) manages Virginia’s Medicaid program with the local Department
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Immobility – It’s a Big Deal for Lots of Reasons The human body works best when it’s in motion. In fact, some part of us is in motion almost all the time when our muscles, nerves, and skeleton function properly. All that movement is called mobility. It’s mobility that gives us the ability to eat,
Starting Out as a Caregiver Starting out as a caregiver can make your head spin at first. You may even feel overwhelmed but take a deep breath and let me help you get organized. I’ve been a caregiver for more than thirty years and have some great tips to assist you in getting your feet
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Living with Mobility Challenges My husband has primary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). Though he can move both arms and legs, he can move none of them well enough to accomplish tasks. Nerve damage from MS, along with muscle spasms, and weakness from lengthy hospital stays, contributed to his current state of powerchair dependency. As a
