Gradually becoming a caregiver can be a disorienting experience because you know that your elderly family member needs help, but you may not know exactly what to do just yet. Starting out on the right foot can be as easy as getting yourself organized and making sure you know what your senior needs.
Start Getting Organized Now
Even if your elderly family member is still handling many of her own affairs, you’re going to start amassing some paperwork. If you’re prepared to handle that influx of paperwork before it hits, you’ll have better luck keeping up with it. Set aside a three-ring binder or a filing box of some sort so that you’ve got a dedicated spot for papers. You’ll also want paper or a notebook for keeping notes and some sort of calendar application or datebook that you can use to keep up with appointments.
Assess What’s Going on with Your Senior
You need to get a solid picture of what is going on with your elderly family member at this point. It’s possible that she’s facing serious health issues. It’s also possible that she’s simply growing older and needing more help gradually. But you need to have a full picture of what is happening now with your elderly family member and her health.
Sort out What Your Senior Needs Most Right Now
Once you understand what’s going on, you can start to look into what your elderly family member most needs right at this moment. She might need help keeping up with housekeeping or home maintenance tasks. Driving can become difficult for your aging adult, which might mean that you need to take over handling transport for her.
Get Some Help Before You Get Overwhelmed
In the beginning, caregiving isn’t necessarily overwhelming. This is especially true if your senior doesn’t need a lot of help just yet. A common mistake among caregivers is to wait way too long to get help. It’s a good idea to hire elderly care providers now who can help you to learn the ropes of caregiving. They may be able to show you ways to make caregiving much easier on you and your senior, even at the beginning.
As you learn more about being a caregiver and helping your senior with her situation, you’ll develop your own plans and find other tools. Your experience as a caregiver will evolve as time goes by.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering Home Care Services in Anaheim Hills, CA, contact the caring staff at No Place Like Home Homecare today at 951-382-5266.
About Kristi Duran
Kristi Duran is the owner of No Place Like Home Homecare. Kristi started NPLH because of her absolute love for seniors. She was raised by her grandparents from the day she was born. Kristi has a special connection to seniors and understands their wishes and needs to stay independent.
Kristi has worked in the medical field for years and has seen first-hand how aging seniors want nothing more than to age in the comfort of their own home with dignity and grace. At NPLH, she and her caregivers insure that this happens.
NPLH is not a large franchise. It is a personal family owned homecare service. This insures a one on one personalized touch. Kristi is available 24 hours a day to her clients and their families.