What Do You Need Most When You’re a Family Caregiver?

Being a family caregiver is one of the most important things you can do for your senior, so it makes sense to be as prepared as you can be. These tips can help you to do that a little more easily.

As Much Information as Possible

Information is one of the most important tools you can have as a family caregiver. When you’re properly informed, you’re able to make better decisions and understand how the choices you’re making are going to impact your senior’s life and health. This takes a lot of time and energy, of course, but it’s worth at least attempting to make sure that you can collect all the information you can on a regular basis.

A Solid Relationship with Your Senior’s Medical Team

Your senior’s doctors and specialists can help you to fill any information gaps you have. They can also help you to understand how the information you’re gathering relates specifically to your senior’s health and situation. You may not always agree with your senior’s doctors, but it helps if you know that you can rely on them to call you back and to take care of whatever your elderly family member needs.

Respite Plans

There’s a lot going on when you’re a family caregiver, but rest has got to be part of the equation, too. Your senior needs respite just like you do and when you go into being a family caregiver with a plan for respite in mind, that’s going to be a good foundation. You may not feel as if you need time away now, but when you’re developing that habit, it will pay off for you down the road. In the future, you may need help from senior care providers in order to continue to take respite, so factor that in now.

Your Own Self-care Plan

Something else that a lot of family caregivers overlook is their own self-care plan. This is going to look different for every family caregiver, too. Assess what you need in order to feel and to be your best and make sure that’s in your plan. If you allow yourself to stress out too much or neglect your own needs now, that habit is going to carry forward and it won’t serve you or your senior well at all.

It also helps to take a look at how well these pieces are fitting together periodically. There’s always room for adjustment.

If you or an aging loved one is considering hiring senior care in Cave Creek, AZ, please call the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Scottsdale at (480) 284-7360. We are here to help!