Tips for Being a Caregiver to a Memory-Impaired Loved One

Blog Category: Uncategorized

A caregiver is anyone who cares for the health and well-being of another individual through daily activities and tasks like dressing, bathing, and medications. The care recipient may need assistance due to an injury, memory issues, illness, mobility challenges, or chronic conditions that make everyday tasks more difficult. Though your caregiving duties may vary day to day, the basic tasks remain the same when caring for an aging parent or spouse:

  • Assessing medical needs like appointments and prescriptions
  • Assisting with basic needs like bathing, cooking, and using the bathroom
  • Providing companionship and emotional support
  • Providing housecleaning for things like dishes, yard work, trash, snow removal, and overall home maintenance

If you’re starting your journey as a caregiver or need some helpful tips to keep afloat, here are a few ideas to consider.

Analyze Your Personal Circumstances

Think about your mental, emotional, and financial stability before taking on the needs of another person. These three factors often determine your ability to care for another. Think about Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs; if you can’t meet your own needs, it might not be in your or your loved one’s best interest to care for them as well.

Organize

Have your care recipient’s information on hand, like living wills, power of attorney, social security numbers, computer passwords, medical history, home maintenance schedules, and banking information. If you ever get overwhelmed by keeping track of everything, a Care Coordinator can help you stay organized.

Communicate and Stand Your Ground

Whether it’s a physician in the ER or a worried family member, there will be people you need to communicate your loved one’s situation to. You’re the care recipient’s biggest advocate, so you’ll need to speak up for them as well. Though doctors and other professionals are educated and informed, they may have different ideas about care than what your care recipient wants. It’s up to you to stand up and hold your ground when necessary if certain treatments or suggestions are disagreeable. It’s also your responsibility to bring attention to situations or changes in health that might otherwise go ignored.

Educate Yourself

Learn about your loved one’s condition and the resources available to you so you can make well-informed decisions and prioritize their needs. Knowing your options for a variety of situations in healthcare, living, and so on makes it easier for you to cope with the challenges some situations might present.

Stay Flexible

One thing to keep in mind is no matter how well you plan, things will change. It’s vital that in these situations you stay calm, try not to get frustrated, and ask for help. Whether you’re having a hard time personally, resources feel unhelpful or inaccessible, or your loved one is not in a cooperative state, you’ll have to be able to push through these bad days or make them work for you.

Take Care of Yourself

Regardless of how much your care recipient needs you, if you ignore your own needs, you may suffer caregiver burnout. Take time for yourself today so you can take care of someone else tomorrow. Here are a few things you can do to ensure you are caring for yourself as well:

  • Give yourself breaks
  • Ask for help when needed
  • Set healthy boundaries
  • Use respite services
  • Join a support group
  • Exercise and relax
  • Schedule weekly planned relief

Learn more about your options for memory care with individualized resources based on your needs through our 5-minute survey powered by Roobrik here.

At Life Enriching Communities (LEC), we’re committed to ensuring patrons feel well-equipped to plan their future and age how they wish. Explore more resources on senior living or contact us today to learn more about our legacy of services and programs that bring meaning and purpose to every stage of life.