Category: Blog

There comes a time in most people’s lives where we are responsible for others’ care and well-being. When we are young, caregiving might be for younger siblings or a babysitting job in the neighborhood. As we get older, the responsibility may expand to children of our own, aging parents or relatives, or a sick loved one. If you are about to become a caregiver for an adult, then these five tips could go a long way in helping you create a positive experience for yourself and the person you are caring for.

Prioritize Communication

Creating an atmosphere of trust and open communication will help you and the person you care for to work together efficiently. Let your patient know that you are willing to listen to them and encourage them to talk about their needs and concerns. Speak to your patient in a positive and friendly tone and be mindful of your body language and facial expressions. Your behavior will help establish an environment where you can resolve potential problems through discussion.

Good communication also has to do with understanding each other’s communication styles. Some people are gregarious, while others have difficulty expressing the simplest of wants and needs. Learning your patient’s communication style and helping them learn yours will mitigate
conflict and misunderstanding.

Set Personal Boundaries

It’s easy for caregivers to fall into a cycle of doing absolutely everything for everyone else. To avoid burnout and even resentment, identify what tasks you are willing to help your patient with before the caregiving assignment starts. When necessary, readjust those boundaries. Whether your patient needs assistance with cooking, cleaning, visiting the doctor, or something else, be sure to express what kind of work you are willing and unwilling to do.

Boundaries don’t imply that you are being unkind or don’t want to help someone in need. They are helpful for both parties because we all have limits to what we can and are willing to do, and without expressing those limits to others, we are putting people in the awkward position of
guessing at how to be respectful of our time. Boundaries are a form of self-care. You may find yourself unable to manage your responsibilities, overwhelmed, stressed, and angry without them. Avoid these issues by being honest about what you can or cannot do upfront.

Know Your Patient’s Capabilities and Limitations

Not everything is obvious. You may think your patient is physically capable of doing a task when, in reality, they are mentally and emotionally unable to help themselves. Understanding your patient’s limitations is about more than just knowing what they are diagnosed with or what their physical ailment may be.

What is their mental state? Are they frustrated that they cannot take care of themselves? If so, are there tasks or errands which you would typically do where they can help? Are they anxious, fearful, ambitious, or proud? Each of these feelings needs to be paired with what they are medically able to do and not do, and your approach to caretaking requires some adjustments
based on these combined factors.

Keep Track of Caregiving in a Journal

In addition to recording your patient’s food and medicine intake, consider keeping track of the entire caregiving experience, including what type of care you performed each day, your patient’s mood, activities you both took part in, and any observations you may have. The journal could serve as a valuable tool for identifying successes in your caretaking, challenges, or the cause of an off day.

It’s impossible to remember everything you do and feel throughout this experience, so a record of it can add clarity when you need some. Journaling is also cathartic and a great way to help you process your emotions since caregiving is both rewarding and demanding.

Identify a Support Group for Yourself and Your Patient

No one can or should go about caregiving alone. You and your patient will both need the love and support of friends and family as you navigate your relationship. Having a support group is also essential in emergencies or if your patient needs help when you are unavailable.

Support also comes in the form of trusted doctors, agencies, and organizations which specialize in caregiving. They can provide tools and access to resources to help you, and your patient live better and thrive. Create this group by first identifying two or three people who can help your
patient in an emergency, and reach out to caregiving organizations and government agencies to pinpoint support services. There is a lot of help available if you look and ask for it. You are not in this alone.

Check out our infographic for tips on how to cultivate a strong patient-caregiver relationship.

Loved ones suffering from Alzheimer’s understandably feel vulnerable. Depending on the extent of the illness, they may not have a full grasp of where they are or what is happening around them. Memory loss not only leaves people in a state of anxiety and fear but has devastating consequences on relationships.

Warm and caring communications is one way to help bridge the gap between what Alzheimer’s patients are experiencing with your role as a caretaker. Here are five communication strategies to help make a connection.

• Focus on the patient’s feelings at present. For people with Alzheimer’s or dementia, the here and now is what they have. Their short-term memory doesn’t allow them to remember things, even if it is as early as this morning. Their moods can change abruptly, and they may be content one moment and then frustrated the next. If they are happy, how can you help them continue that feeling? If they are upset, how can you mitigate it? It’s essential to focus on their emotions in the present no matter how quickly they pivot or how unexplainable the feeling might seem. They could be lashing out because they are having difficulty explaining their confusion and are fighting themselves while trying to remember what they no longer can. However they may feel presently, be patient and respond calmly. Validate their feelings and help them navigate through it.
• Use uplifting words. Many Alzheimer’s patients respond negatively to being treated as invalid and unable to take care of themselves. They don’t see that they are suffering from a disease, and because their memory is impaired, they may not understand why caregivers are fussing over their actions. Did you eat breakfast this morning? Did you take your medicine? These questions could be interpreted as condescending. Patients may respond, “Yes,” because in their minds they are an adult, so of course, they can take care of themselves. Their response to your question is based more on a feeling than fact. To combat these feelings, use positive reinforcement and language to make them feel valued, not patronized.
• Memory Magic. It is surprising what can surface from a patient’s long-term memory. Ask your patient to tell you a story from their childhood or recount a memory. Digging into old memories is a great mental exercise, and the sharing of memory helps people feel like they have something valuable to add to a conversation.
• Humor makes things better. Laughing and smiling has terrific benefits for the mind and body. Where possible, inject smiles and humor into your loved ones’ routine. Even though your loved one is losing his or her memories, their feelings and emotions are genuine. Keeping situations light and finding opportunities to share a smile is an excellent way to connect and reinforce trust.
• Engage the senses. One way to interact with someone with impaired memory is by stimulating their other senses. What pictures, movies, or images would they like to see? What would they want to smell? Taste? Hear? Play them familiar music, give them their favorite snack, put on their favorite perfume, or encourage them to touch their cherished possessions. Using the senses to engage with someone is one way to stimulate their attention, encourage conversation, and relate to something familiar. Just don’t overdo it.

COVID-19 has reshaped the way we live our lives. Over the last few weeks we have witnessed alarming increases in the rate of infection and deaths across the United States due to the Pandemic. The numbers have been increasing in New York State as well. Therefore it is vital to continue practicing healthy behaviors to prevent greater risk of infection in our communities.

The best way to protect those we care for is for caregivers to take care of themselves. Caregivers spend the most time with patients and therefore need to take equal precautions from becoming sick or asymptomatic. Here are some suggestions that will help both caregivers and patients stay safe.

Encourage Healthy Practices. Both caregivers and patients should follow CDC recommendations as well as local and state guidelines regarding the prevention and spread of COVID-19. Make the following behaviors routine:

• Avoid unnecessary outdoor activities
• Continue to wear a mask if you need to step out of your home
• Avoid large gatherings and, where possible, maintain the recommended six feet of space from people
• Avoid touching your face when outdoors or with unclean hands
• Change your clothes when returning from the outside
• Wash hands frequently
• Cover your mouth and nose when sneezing
• Periodically open windows to circulate the air
• Frequently clean surfaces that are high touch areas such as doorknobs, bathrooms, and the refrigerator door

Keep Fit and Eat Well. Maintaining good health isn’t only about avoiding germs; it’s about maintaining a wellness routine that keeps your mind and body fit to fight off infections and disease. Although there currently isn’t a vaccine for COVID-19, now is an excellent time to revisit the dietary and exercise practices to ensure that caregivers and patients are in optimal
health.

• Increase the intake of fresh food that will give you the necessary vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, and antioxidants your body needs to keep you healthy
• Drink plenty of water
• Encourage physical exercise, depending on your patient’s abilities. Stretching and chair exercises are great alternatives if a patient is unable to go out for a walk while maintaining distance from others.
• Destress with scheduled meditation and deep breathing exercises for a few minutes a day

Connect. Smartly. As social beings, human interaction is an essential part of lives. Caretakers should leverage technology to connect patients with the people and groups that make them feel happy, appreciated, and less isolated.

• Schedule regular catchups with family and friends via phone and video conference tools such as WhatsApp, Zoom, and Google Meet. Additionally, have your patient do online check-ins with any children who are close with your patient. Studies show that engaging with children has a positive impact on both elderly and kids
• Encourage the use of smartphones, tablets, and computers to join virtual groups that align with patient interests. Many groups and classes are made available through local organizations such as community centers, houses of worship, and professional organizations
• Join virtual support groups offered by healthcare or insurance providers. They are a therapeutic way to connect with others, share your feelings and state of mind, and may help caregivers and patients navigate these complicated times

Plan Ahead to Minimize Contact with Others. Businesses have done a great job adjusting to the new contactless reality, and there are many safe ways to ensure the basic needs of patients.

• Stock up on essential items by maintaining a one-month supply of food, non-perishables, medications, personal hygiene items, and other supplies. This will limit the need for a patient to venture to the market
• Setup online delivery or curbside pickup. Pharmacies, including local and big-name brands, are participating in contactless deliveries, and sites such as Peapod, Instacart, Shipt, and Amazon Prime, simplify access to groceries

Have a Medical Emergency Plan. For most patients, access to medical care is a routine part of their lives. Have a plan in place which will ensure uninterrupted healthcare, especially during an emergency.

• Call 911 for any life-threatening needs
• Cancel any unnecessary in-person appointments (ask your medical professional if there are questions as what these are)
• Become familiar with how the patient’s primary medical office is engaging with patients. Some offices are allowing appointments under certain conditions, and many are using telemedicine for scheduled appointments. Whatever the method, have the proper applications downloaded, and maintain the preventative behaviors mentioned earlier.
• Before a medical emergency, become familiar with the check-in process at your local hospital in case patients need to adhere to specific rules

Diabetes affects 34.2 million Americans, —10.5% of the population. Of those diagnosed with diabetes, 14.3 million, 26.8%, are Americans age 65 and older.

Although these numbers are staggering, lifestyle choices can help mitigate the disease’s impact on patients’ lives. The ideal situation would be to focus on a healthy diet and proper exercise as early as possible to avoid the diagnosis altogether. Thankfully, our knowledge of the disease and the tools to manage health has come a long way, so it is possible to balance our health needs and live a fruitful life while living with diabetes.

There are three types of diabetes:

• Type 1 diabetes is when the body does not produce insulin. Insulin is a necessary hormone for breaking down the sugar we consume and converting it into glucose. Glucose is the energy that fuels our bodies. This type of diabetes is most common in young people.
• Type 2 diabetes is when your body doesn’t use insulin properly. In this case, you may need medicine or additional insulin to manage your diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is more common in older people.
• Gestational diabetes occurs in a pregnant woman. In most cases, this form of diabetes goes away after birth; however, those with gestational diabetes have a greater chance of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.

Diabetes can impact different parts of your body. Over time, it can cause health problems such as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, eye problems, and nerve damage. People with type 2 diabetes are also at greater risk of developing cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.

According to the National Institute on Aging, “millions of older Americans have ‘prediabetes.’ This means their glucose levels are higher than usual but not high enough to be called diabetes. People with prediabetes have a greater chance of developing type 2 diabetes and having a heart attack or stroke.” There are no exact symptoms of prediabetes, so you can develop it and not know it. The majority of the time, people develop prediabetes long before they develop type 2 diabetes. Exercise and diet play a large part in how well someone manages the disease or prevents it altogether.

Managing Your Diabetes

Your healthcare management plan should be a joint effort between you and a doctor. Even if you know what type of diabetes you have, your individual health needs will vary, so it’s essential to maintain an open communication line with a healthcare provider.

The most critical elements to managing your diabetes are diet and exercise. Those with diabetes need to make smart and healthy food choices because what you eat affects your glucose levels. It would help if you had a clear idea of what to eat, as well as how often. Being active also helps improve glucose levels in older people and can include simple exercises such as daily walks. The most important aspect of being active is integrating as much physical activity into your routine as possible. Moving around the house to do chores (if you are physically capable), walking daily and replacing car rides with walks, stretching, and even playing with grandchildren or pets, are all forms of physical activity that can help maintain good physical
health, even if you cannot incorporate traditional exercises.

Two other important factors in managing your diabetes are to track your glucose levels and take your medicines on time. Both high and low glucose levels put your health at risk. Tracking your levels will impact how, what, and when you eat. Finally, take your prescribed medicines even if you feel good and inform your doctor if you have any side effects.

Caretakers responsible for patients with diabetes should help keep track of medication schedules and work with their patients to identify nutritional foods that patients will enjoy. You can make an activity out of planning meals, shopping, and preparing food together. It is an enjoyable and supervised pastime that encourages patients to take ownership of their health while keeping them busy and engaged.