Caregiver Support How Do I Support the Primary Caregiver?

Scott writes...

My mother is the primary caregiver for my father. It never ceases to amaze me, when I relieve my 85-year-old mother from her caregiving duties. I give her a break from her caring duties for my 86-year-old Dad. It still hurts me how a once brilliant mind has changed.

I know the changes affect my Mother in ways unimaginable. She has been dealing with this over the past 10 years and the changes have been dramatic. How can I support my mom, the primary caregiver, and do more. I am concerned about my mom's health, as well. Can you give me some guidance?

Scott

How Family Caregiving Impacts Health

Response

Dear Scott,

It is so hard for family members providing care for a loved one with dementia to go through... the changes and experience the painfully slow deterioration of loved ones... mind and personality. The best thing you are doing for your mom is offering her caregiver support and respite. Help her to develop a Person Centered Profile to promote continuity of care.

From diagnosis to death, a person with dementia, may live as long as 20 years.

It is so important family members understand and learn as much as they can about the... type of dementia they will be dealing with. There are many different types of dementia. Each type affects a different part of the brain. Different areas of the brain that are affected... will result in different behaviors exhibited.

Once a primary caregiver knows the types of dementia... the next step is to understand that there will be different dementia stages. I also recommend creating a Care Team Partner group to support your mom.

I have more options I can recommend to you. Please do not hesitate to reach out for more support or guidance.

Warm Regards,

Diane Carbo RN

More Options to consider supporting a primary caregiver...

Options to Support the Family Caregiver

As a family caregiver, non medical home care can be a great support system for both you and your loved one. In home care services provide assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs) such as bathing, dressing, toileting, eating, transferring/ambulating and grooming. These services also offer companionship and supervision to help ensure the safety of your loved one while in their own home. Family caregivers can find comfort in knowing that there is qualified and dependable non-medical home care available to help ease their burden.

Non medical home care can be tailored to fit the individual needs of your loved one so they are receiving the best possible care. Furthermore, non medical home care can allow for more flexible scheduling than traditional home health care. With non medical home care, family caregivers can rest assured knowing their loved one is receiving the highest quality of care in a safe and secure environment.

It can be difficult to make the decision to pursue non medical home care for your loved one, but with the right support and resources it doesn’t have to be. Consider speaking with other family members or trusted caregivers about non-medical home care services and how they may benefit you and your loved one. Together, you can explore the different options that may be available to help ensure your family member receives the best possible care.

Reach out today to learn more about non medical home care services for your loved one! You don’t have to go through this journey alone. With non-medical home care, you can have the support and guidance you need to make sure your loved one is receiving the highest quality of care.

Learn to Manage Caregiver Stress

The next most important step in providing care for a person with dementia is to practice self-care.

Statistics show... that 50% of family caregivers caring for an individual with dementia predecease their loved one.

Care giver stress actually kills. Monitor your stress levels and take steps to alleviate that stress.

It is important to learn techniques to handle stress and take steps to make their own health a priority.

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