Caregiving 101
New to caregiving? Not sure what to do? Here are some suggestions from the pros.

Physical Environment
One of the most important responsibilities as caregivers is to create a safe environment -both physically and emotionally. Living quarters should provide a sense of comfort, allow for greater independence, and make it possible to enjoy the companionship of others.

Daily Routine
Establish a daily routine with the same wake up, sleep, bathing, and meal times each day to help regulate the internal clock of the person you are caring for. To ensure a good nights rest, it is a good idea to limit the amount of napping to an hour or less per day. Some exercise, even for those who are wheelchair bound helps to wake people up and is invigorating for most people. Your physician can recommend some exercises appropriate for the medical condition of your loved one.

Recreation
Recreation is an important aspect of caregiving because it keeps your loved one occupied, stimulates mental activity, and can help prevent depression. Each caregiver should find activities appropriate for his/her family member. Here are a few suggestions:

• Help your loved one create a scrapbook of an appropriate size with mementos from his or her life.
• Play cards. Large print cards and larger sized cards are often available.
• Invite friends over. We are all less self-conscious of our disabilities when near similarly situated friends and neighbors.
• Buy a small portable cassette player with headphones and rent books on tape or music.
• If possible, sit outside.

Communication
When caring for an older person, remember that they cannot see or hear as well as younger people, and try to compensate for hearing and vision losses. When you are speaking, stay within three feet of your loved one, make eye contact and use gestures and facial expressions. Avoid shouting, as this actually makes it more difficult for someone who is hard of hearing to distinguish between words. Keep the conversation focused on one topic or make it clear when you are switching to another topic.

Food and Nutrition
As we age, our taste buds change and lose their sensitivity. If your loved one does not feel hungry, a huge plate of food may seem too overwhelming. It may be easier to digest a number of smaller, nutritious snacks. Try to join your loved one for a meal. You may find that he/she eats more when there are enough social stimuli to make dining pleasant and interesting. Keep in mind that certain foods may interfere with sleep such as coffee, cola products, alcohol and tea.

Bathing
A complete bath should be given twice a week with a sponge bath at least every other day, and a complete wash of the face, hands, and arms several times a day. Make sure that all supplies are on hand in easy to use containers. Shampoos should be tear free and gentle. Soaps should lather readily and not irritate sensitive skin. Dry your loved one, to some extent, before he/she exits the bath to avoid chills and to limit the amount of time they need to stand up. A toweling robe can help an older person dry with minimum discomfort.

Toileting
Taking care of toilet needs, particularly with a parent of the opposite gender can be a challenging experience because people often feel a lack of privacy and a sense of embarrassment. Most people would prefer to take care of their toilet needs themselves for as long as possible. You can help your loved ones maintain their independence by making it easier to walk to the commode, clean afterwards, and deal with clothing. Make the bathroom as close to the bedroom as possible. Make sure that the toilet paper is readily available. Some devices that help with toilet independence are: grab bars placed near the toilet, safety frames which fit next to the toilet, or a bedroom commode. Specialty clothes are available, which open and close with Velcro, or many people feel comfortable in sweat clothes because they are easily put on and off. Disposable briefs are also a valuable resource. Those with re-closable tabs or pull-ups help with bladder control problems.

Changing the Laundry
Prepare in advance for bed linen changes and do the change while your loved one is out of the room. One way to reduce the number of bed linen changes is to use blue pads, the kinds of bed liners used in hospitals. These can be bought at your local medical supply store in a variety of sizes. Or, when you completely change the bed linens, use several layers so you can just peel off the layers on top, and have fresh linens underneath.

For more information about Caregivers Corner, click here.