According to a 2004 report by the NAC, the National Association for Caring, approximately 21% of U.S. households are affected by the responsibilities of caregiving. That means that nearly one out of every four families is taking care of a loved one.
So, what are some of the many roles of a caregiver? Here are some of the important ones:
Schedule Medical Appointments – Caregivers are also the ones who schedule doctor’s appointments, dispense medicine, and some of them administer shots to their patients. Nothing is more important than a senior’s health.
Keep the House Clean – You need to ensure that the place your loved one is living is clean. A sick, elderly person can be more susceptible to germs and other bacteria.
Personal Grooming – Getting older doesn’t always mean that people don’t care about the way they look. Do your best to keep your loved one well groomed at all times. Get their opinion on which clothes they want to wear.
Cooking – Many elderly people do not eat as properly as they should. Therefore, a caregiver plays a vital role to give loved ones the proper nutrition that they need.
Emphasis is placed on nutritious foods that are easy to digest, and those foods that are well liked. In addition, caregivers need to avoid foods that the doctor has forbidden.
Help with Personal Finances – If you have been given power of attorney or have been asked by other family members to manage the personal finances, then you need to take full responsibility. You will have to balance a checkbook, take care of shopping expenses, and pay the bills.
Help Communicating – It’s important for caregivers to speak on behalf of their senior loved ones with health professionals, family members and others. Sometimes, there is a conflict of interests between family members.
However, if you are the designated primary care provider, you are responsible for doing everything that doctors and nurses tell you to do.
Build and Maintain Friendship – Caregivers must bond with the person in their care. You need to be a faithful friend and listen to your loved one’s requests and concerns.
Running Errands – Caretakers usually are responsible for running the daily errands. This usually incudes shopping, and all of the other daily tasks. The key is how you organize them. That is the only way to keep on top of things.
The Many Roles of a Caregiver – Know Your Limitations
Caregivers are not superhuman, although it seems they sometimes perform superhuman tasks. They also need to relax and take time off.
Therefore, they should also hand over the various duties and obligations to other family members, occasionally.
In addition, if you are responsible for taking care of a family member, you cannot forget your responsibilities to your own family, either.
There are true stories of how those taking care of their loved ones ends up with chronic illnesses of their own to deal with are also something to take into consideration.
If you are a designated health care provider for a senior loved one, do everyone a favor by monitoring your own mental and physical health, and get checked up regularly.
Conclusion – The Many Roles of a Caregiver
The many roles of a caregiver are enormous. You have to wear many hats, and you need to adapt to changes in the condition of the person who is under your care. If you understand your roles, you have a better chance of being successful.
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