Try: Caregivers suggest that some or all of the following things may help keep you from getting overwhelmed while caring for a Care recipient (cr) #join a support group #eat well get rest and take time to exercise #set aside a quiet time of day for yourself some caregivers get up before their crs to enjoy a half hour of time for themselves before a day of giving begins others end their days with a ritual of a favorite show and a hot drink after the cr has gone to bed #make time for activities you enjoy maybe you can’t stay involved with all of them while you are providing care for someone else but keep up with one or two that are special to you even if that requires getting someone else to help with providing care #don’t lose touch with family and friends use the phone computer or another electronic device to talk with people if you can’t meet them face-to-face #find laughter look for movies books or small things that make you laugh #record your thoughts and feelings on paper electronically in letters or pictures in a scheduled way or in a small diary that you can write in during free moments #if you find it hard to eat a meal take a shower or leave the house for a haircut for fear of turning your back on the cr you care for you are well into the time of needing assistance ask for help and don’t stop looking for it until you get it

Materials: Time for yourself support from family friends or professionals self-knowledge

Categories: Caregiver Needs&Support

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: n/a

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: Cg should try to work on areas of stress that can be changed and find ways to deal less stressfully to those that can’t be changed even though cg cannot control a stressful situation they can control the way they react to it calm down physically – remove yourself both physically and emotionally from a stressful situation even if it is just for a short period of time count to 10 and take deep breaths go to another room and put some soothing music on make your thoughts positive rather than negative don’t dwell on the things that have gone wrong with the day point out the things that have gone right give yourself permission to feel sorry for yourself but set a time limit of two or three minutes

Materials: n/a

Categories: Caregiver Needs&Support, Emotional Psychological

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: n/a

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: #in a quiet place sit or recline in a comfortable position and close your eyes imagine a place that is beautiful comfortable and safe this place can be a place you’ve visited seen a picture of or are just imagining it can be inside outdoors or in a fantasy location #while picturing the place think about details such as sounds smells sights the temperature sun or wind on your skin etc #as you think of the scene relax your muscles and take a deep breath continue to take a few more deep breaths and relax further #spend some time enjoying the inner peace of the place you’ve created let the tension of your day drift away into space stay in the inner place for as many moments or minutes as you like #you can return to your inner vacation spot as often as you like for peace and relaxation

Materials: Quiet place comfortable place to sit or lie down imagination

Categories: Caregiver Needs&Support, Emotional Psychological, Cognitive Awareness, Fully Aware, Long-Term Memory, Good L T Memory

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: n/a

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: #make a care schedule this way type a list of all the cr’s daily needs and activities and all the responsibilities the caregiver s should meet on a daily basis note any activities that take place on a less-than-daily basis such as a weekly lunch or monthly haircut #put the pages into page protectors and keep them in a notebook when the main caregiver is gone or when caregivers just have a hard time focussing on all tasks this can help all caregivers to be consistent #if the cr’s activities are regular but different on various days of the week make a schedule for each day of the week #put the care schedule pages into page protectors and keep them in a 3-ring binder #use the notebook to leave special instructions to caregivers and for caregivers to leave notes for each other the cr or the cr’s main caregiver notes should be signed and dated for clarity’s sake #teach the caregivers to check the spiral notebook and the care schedule when they come in to work and to consult the care schedule throughout their work hours so the cr’s needs can be met with consistency

Materials: 3-ring binder page protectors spiral notebook and pen

Categories: Caregiver Needs&Support, Mobility, Needs Much Assistance, Independence, Some Supervision, Cognitive Awareness, Somewhat Aware, Long-Term Memory, So-So L T Memory, Short-Term Memory, So-So S T Memory

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: n/a

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: #make a list of tasks that you want the aides to complete on a daily weekly or monthly schedule be specific for example monday- wash fold and put away laundry wash dishes tuesday- dust furniture vacuum floors wash dishes #review the task list with every aide in person or over the phone explain to each aide that the lists are a work tool to make sure the cr is gets what is needed to stay safely housed #write a brief job description for the aides and include the activities aides are expected to do daily weekly and monthly the hourly rate of pay or salary whom to contact in case of an emergency and how to contact the main caregiver at the bottom of the list of assigned duties it may be useful to write other duties as assigned #take a master copy of the task list and insert a short line to the left of each task make multiple copies of the list #every day the first aide in should pull a new copy out and date it as workers come through the day they should initial the tasks they finish that day when the aide pulls out a new copy in the morning yesterday’s copy is put into a special folder all materials should all be kept in a special location #the caregiver or a care manager should review the folder as needed and compare what the cr and environment look like to what the aides report doing discrepancies should be questioned #a care manager is a professional hired to coordinate a cr’s care #in some cases a caregiver may need power of attorney to act on the cr’s behalf without power of attorney the caregiver may be limited in authority and may have difficulty getting specific

Materials: Job descriptions checklist of daily and weekly tasks multiple copies folder senior care manager if affordable available or necessary power of attorney to act on cr’s behalf if necessary

Categories: Caregiver Needs&Support, Legal, Mobility, Needs Much Assistance, Independence, Maximum Supervision, Verbal Communication, Cognitive Awareness, Somewhat Aware, Long-Term Memory, Poor L T Memory, Short-Term Memory, Poor S T Memory

Information: About the cr from social service agencies as well as medical providers information

References: n/a

Keywords: n/a

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: #tape the descriptions of every medication the cr takes to the inside of the spiral-bound notebook and ask all caregivers to read the descriptions #make a medication schedule and paste it onto the first page s of the notebook update it as needed by pasting new schedules on top of it #keep the notebook in a central location near the cr’s medications make sure pens are near #encourage the cr to use the notebook as a daily health journal dating an entry daily and logging when and what medications are taken each day if the cr is not capable of doing this teach the caregivers to keep this log and to put their initials after each entry they make in it #teach every caregiver to check the health journal upon arriving to help and review all the entries made in the journal since the last time the caregiver was on duty #the caregivers should note any unusual health observations or concerns in the journal #it is especially important to make sure antibiotics are taken on schedule and for the full course of treatment prescribed by the doctor #the person coordinating the caregivers whether a case manager or family member should check the journal regularly and instruct all caregivers about when to contact a case manager family member emergency service provider or doctor

Materials: Small spiral-bound notebook pens pharmacy-generated list of cr’s medications and their side effects person to coordinate the caregivers

Categories: Caregiver Needs&Support, Medical Physical, Mobility, Mobile, Needs Some Assistance, Needs Much Assistance, Immobile, Independence, No Supervision, Some Supervision, Maximum Supervision

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: n/a

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: #help the Care recipient (cr) to create a memory aid book #write all appointments events and other things to do or to remember on the calendar making note of the time and place #write a daily schedule for the weekdays for saturday and for sunday and insert them into the 3-ring binder #put frequently called people’s names and their contact numbers on a list and put the list in the binder #encourage the cr family members and caregivers to write down important

Materials: 3-ring binder 3-hole punch 3-hole paper monthly calendar paper pencil with eraser sticky notes

Categories: Caregiver Needs&Support, Cognitive Intellectual, Mobility, Needs Some Assistance, Independence, Some Supervision, Vision, Good Vision, So-So Vision, Cognitive Awareness, Fully Aware, Long-Term Memory, So-So L T Memory, Poor L T Memory, Short-Term Memory, So-So S T Memory, Poor S T Memory

Information: And stick it in the binder it is often useful if people date and initial the notes they put in the binder punch holes in frequently referred to brochures restaurant menus movie schedules etc and keep those in the binder for easy reference as well #use sticky notes to leave brief reminders around the house for example put a note on the alarm clock reminding the cr to set the alarm before going to sleep or on the bathroom mirror to remind the cr to brush teeth information

References: n/a

Keywords: n/a

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: Try being their new best friend share in their joys and listen to their sorrows always treat a cr as an adult – don’t talk over around or through them even though the cr’s actions could sometimes be childlike they are adults and should be treated that way with respect take their feelings seriously agree with their frustration as not being able to perform the activities they used to do lend a listening ear find their interest and concentrate on that is there a certain type of music or certain hobbies that you could both enjoy be flexible and go with the flow what works one day may not work the next don’t be judgmental either with the cr or yourself some days the behavior or the cr may be more difficult than others and some days you are better equipped to handle it better than others

Materials: n/a

Categories: Caregiver Needs&Support, Communication, Emotional Psychological, Social

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: n/a

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: #a caregiver may choose to manage phone calls by letting the answering machine pick them up checking for messages at scheduled times just once or twice a day this allows the caregiver to work without frequent phone interruptions #carrying a cell phone and checking caller id before answering it lets a caregiver respond quickly to priority calls related to the cr’s care #if a caregiver is overwhelmed by the number of concerned calls coming in a trustworthy friend or relative can take the role of designated contact person by being the one person the caregiver keeps in touch with about the cr the contact person then shares

Materials: Phone with answering machine or message service cell phone with caller id feature helpful friend or family member to serve as contact person for the Care recipient (cr) in the place of the caregiver

Categories: Caregiver Needs&Support, Mobility, Needs Much Assistance, Independence, Maximum Supervision

Information: With the larger circle of family and friends as needed #using a designated contact person takes pressure off the caregiver to repeat the same information to a number of people this can be helpful for caregivers who feel overwhelmed just meeting their primary goal of caring for the cr however the need of a caregiver to stay connected to people other than the cr and the need for others to feel connected to the cr should also be balanced #the contact person can give regular updates to frequent callers via email group letter or phone calls and may serve as a middle person in matching a caregiver’s need for assistance with a caller’s offer to help however a contact person and a caregiver should speak clearly about what they are agreeing to and should openly discuss changes to an original agreement as situations develop information

References: n/a

Keywords: n/a

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: Keep track of phone calls appointments and visits with a contact log copied onto sheets of paper create a contact log to meet specific needs design the log on the long side of paper for more writing space each contact should note date name agency name phone # reason for contact next appointment keep log sheets on a clipboard with a pen record the

Materials: Clipboard pen contact log sheets folder calendar

Categories: Caregiver Needs&Support, Mobility, Needs Some Assistance, Independence, No Supervision, Vision, Good Vision, Cognitive Awareness, Fully Aware, So-So L T Memory, So-So S T Memory

Information: Related to every important visit or phone call use the log to make notes during calls or meetings with care providers insurance companies or related resources transfer appointment dates and times to the calendar keep a folder for business cards or instructions from caregivers or visiting helpers avoid losing business cards by taping them to full sheets of paper or to the top of the papers associated with them keep the clipboard and folder together and keep them close to the telephone information

References: n/a

Keywords: n/a

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed