A key focus of my blog is Health/Wellness. All of us eventually age, and many of us get to a point where we can’t take care of ourselves. In many instances, the care we get in our last days, is just as important as the care we get in first days. The following contributed post is entitled, Making Home Care More Dignified.
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There are many points in time when you might need care in your life. From infancy to recovering from an injury and old age, you could need care at many stages in your life. How would you expect that care to be? Effective, comfortable, dignified? These are all within the fundamentals of care and should be shown to everyone. So when it comes to caring for someone else at home in your life, how can you make things more dignified? You’ll find some of the answers below.
Image Credit: Unsplash under Creative Commons
Discuss needs and expectations
Having to care for someone else, or help them plan their care, is never an easy thing. Having conversations with elderly relatives or someone who is usually independent about their needs and expectations can be difficult, but being upfront and honest is the best way for both of you to move forward. There could be several issues that need addressing when it comes to providing care, but once you work through it you can help to deliver that care in the most beneficial way for the person who needs it.
Be kind and considerate
Kindness goes a long way, and no matter what you’re feeling, it can’t be easy for the person needing care. Often being cared for can lead to a loss of independence, as well as feeling a lack of purpose – something that can lead to mental health issues in addition to the others that need caring for, Always be kind and considerate when caring for someone else, it really can help make the best out of an unfortunate situation.
Bring in professionals
While many people are classed as careers for their relatives, not everyone has the skills, or even the time, to offer the right care. Sometimes professional help is needed, particularly for more medical tasks like fitting catheters. Bringing in professional careers can cost money, but it can be a cost worth spending to make sure your loved one is cared for properly. Take a look at local agencies and make sure you’ve taken advantage of any health benefits they could be entitled to.
Look beyond the obvious
Some care needs are obvious, such as the need to wash, dress and feed someone. However, some elements of care are not so clear. Being able to see beyond the obvious and go that extra mile can really make the difference to someone’s life. Help your loved one develop new interests and get them out of the house, especially if they’re retired and looking for what to do next. Care doesn’t always have to be in the home, so it’s important to get your loved ones out and help them to keep doing the things they enjoy.
Care can take some getting used to, especially at the beginning. By being as respectful as you can and being open about the whole process, you can help make home care more dignified and help loved ones retain some independence. Always seek professional help where appropriate, even if it’s just to give you some advice or a helping hand. We all need care at some point in our lives, and treating people as you’d want to be treated can go a long way.
