Eight Essential Tips for Caring for Older Relatives at Home

Caring for an older relative can be very demanding. Firstly, you need to practice a great deal of patience. Secondly, you must learn the basics about caregiving, and be prepared to face tough challenges that might come along the way. Here are 8 tips that will help you cope with the process a lot better.

1. Get Access to Important Information

Is your aging relative physically impaired? Do they suffer from any sort of severe health condition? Do they need assistance with financial matters? You should know these things in advance. Ask your parent to give you access to their official documents, and arrange them properly. Some important documents are their healthcare provider (GP, dentist, etc), health insurance, prescriptions, and monthly bills.

2. Research

If your relative suffers from a particular health condition (e.g. dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s), find out as much as information as possible about the condition. Consult with a physician and talk about the severity of the disease. If your loved is in the early stages of dementia, homecare is the most recommended type of assistance. However, as the illness advances, you may have to consider professional care (e.g. assisted living facilities, nursing homes, or home care).

3. Ask for help from siblings

Caring for an older relative shouldn’t be done by a single person. It’s admirable that you want to help them, but this doesn’t mean you should take full responsibility. Ask for assistance from siblings or other close relatives. Make decisions together and agree to split duties equally. Siblings should want help with caregiving, so don’t be ashamed to consult them.

4. Learn about local resources & services

Research helpful services (link to helpful organisations) in your community. Search for retirement associations, social clubs, and transportation services. Check the web for support groups and join others on forums for senior caregiving. It’s good to have people supporting you, especially in moments when you’ll feel you can’t cope anymore. There are several Care & Repair services available in Ireland.

5. Watch out for symptoms of serious health conditions

A lot of people believe that depression, loss of sight and confusion are common symptoms of the aging process. Sadly, these are also signs of more severe health problems, such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. If you notice that your loved one keeps forgetting things and can’t remember your name, take them to the doctor immediately.

6. Consider hiring a healthcare professional

Hiring a healthcare professional may be required to help you in case your aging relative develops dementia, or other type of disease related to damages to the brain. These people are trained to help your aging parent deal and cope better with their condition. You don’t have to hire a caregiver full-time; there are many caregivers who work by the hour, and they’re great at offering tips on how to care for your parent on your own.

7. Stay in touch

Older relatives with disabilities often don’t feel comfortable with living with their children or younger relatives. Many of them are ashamed of having lost their independence, so they stay isolated and don’t communicate much. Try to break this cycle. Involve them in your activities, talk to them, and include them into your discussions. Give them a reason to be happy, and help them forget about their disabilities.

8. Good-quality equipment

Many seniors have physical disabilities. Some don’t hear very well, others have difficulty walking and moving around the house. Good-quality equipment will ease your parent’s life. Wheelchair ramps, wheelchairs, walkers, physical therapy accessories and bathroom aids are tools your parent will need to increase mobility levels and decrease physical pain.

Choosing professional homecare services for an aging parent with a chronic health condition is the best way of lengthening their lives and keeping them happy. Caring for your loved ones at home is fine, but after a certain point your lack of experience might worsen their condition. Only a certified nurse knows how to deal with patients in advanced stages of dementia. It’s painful to make the decision of placing a loved one in an assisted living facility, but you must be rational and think in their best interest to have them with you for longer periods of time.