Caregiving Over the Holidays
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by: SusanR.Love
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Word Count: 436
As some people age, they need more help with their day-to-day activities. A Holiday visit is the perfect opportunity to evaluate your loved one's situation. First, take a moment to assess your loved one's appearance. Weight loss and decreased personal hygiene are both signs that there may be a problem. Similarly, unopened mail or forgetting to refill prescriptions both point to a potential memory loss. If your elderly family member is no longer doing things he once enjoyed, such as visiting friends or going on weekly golf trips, there may be a physical or psychological reason for that change. Once problems are identified you can work with other family members to brainstorm a solution, which may involve speaking with a doctor.
There are several concrete things you can do that will help make Holiday visits as productive as possible. First, make sure your loved one has an emergency card in their wallet with emergency contacts, physicians' numbers, blood type and medication regimen. If something were to happen, he or she would then be able to receive more thorough care without delay. On a similar note, if there are any scheduled doctors appointments, be sure to attend. This is a great chance to ask the doctor any questions and tell him about any observations you have made. Before you leave, be sure that your loved one has adequate food and toiletries stored at home. If not, you can accompany them on a shopping run.
It is also crucial that the caregiver take some time for himself during Holiday visits. Try to get enough sleep and eat well-balanced meals. This will allow you to be as productive as possible. Ask other friends and family members for support. You can't do it all yourself and having reasonable expectations will help you stay calm in the most stressful of circumstances. Create some goals for your next visit, instead of frantically trying to do it all now.
As long as you are aware of the care-receiver's behavior, have a plan, and commit yourself to having reasonable expectations, there is no reason why you can't make the most the most of your Holiday visit. This is the perfect opportunity to both have a good time and get some productive work done in ensuring your loved one's well-being.
About the Author
For more information about home caregiver services , visit Susan Love's site where you will find a wide selection of elder care products and services.
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