Six General Strategies for the “Newbie” Adult Caregiver

It doesn’t matter whether the caregiver role was thrust upon you without much warning or you have slowly slid into it. Either way, the role of adult caregiver can be rather overwhelming, causing feelings of isolation, anxiety, sadness, trepidation, frustration and even resentment.

These feelings are normal and not at all uncommon and you can expect them to come and go throughout your tenure as a caregiver. With these feelings also come positive moments of appreciation for the person you are caring for, compassion and understanding.

Every caregiving situation is unique due to various circumstances but there are various strategies to help you cope through the times ahead that are universal. If you find yourself in that adult caregiver role, you should arm yourself with as much information as possible so that you can not only learning coping skills but also create a plan of action which includes alternatives for anything unanticipated.  Below are six all-purpose strategies that can help:

1. Establish the groundwork for your caregiving role so that you can adequately make the necessary decisions. Talk with all parties involved from the loved one you are caring for as well as your siblings and other family members, and even social agencies who may help in providing care. You need a clear picture of when the problems started occurring and in what frequency. This information will help in preparing a treatment plan.
2. Meet with your loved one’s doctors and ensure your loved one has a comprehensive examination to test emotional, physical and mental health. You need to know everything in order to conduct your caregiving duties effectively. Educate yourself in regards to what you can expect as your loved one deteriorates so that you know when and how to react when caregiving needs change.
3. Assess your loved one’s needs and determine whether they can still live alone with daily help and intervention or whether they need to move in with you. The daily habits will need to be scrutinized such as personal care like eating and grooming, whether they can handle household chores like cooking, paying bills on time and cleaning, health management such as taking medications properly and even whether they can be safe by themselves or maintain personal relationships.
4. Create a plan that addresses the assessment you have made regarding your loved one. You may have to hire an adult caregiver during the day so you can work or find an adult day care. You might have to give up your job to care for them full-time or perhaps they could still live alone but you need to hire a companion to assist them. Hospitals, social work agencies and even governmental entities can help you cope with these decisions.
5. Evaluate your finances and that of your loved one. What type of care can they afford? Does insurance cover it? Will you have to pitch in financially? You might have to consult with a lawyer to outline all the financial assets your loved one has as well as possibly draw up any legal papers granting your rights should your loved one not be able to make decisions any longer.
6. Whether your loved one can still live at home or has to move in with you, there are likely safety issues you have to deal with. For physical infirmities, you will likely have to make plans to accommodate a wheelchair or install handicap implements such as a chair in the shower, rails for hallways and stairs and more. For cognitive issues, you might have to remove anything that could be potentially harmful such as knives, knobs on the stove so it cannot be used, fire-related devices and you may even have to install an alarm system so that they cannot wander off and get lost.

There are many things to consider when in the adult caregiver role, and many of them are life altering not only for the loved one but also for you.

While making plans for caregiving, be sure to care for yourself as well. Establish a support system for those times when you need a break and incorporate relaxation techniques and eat right. You cannot take care of a loved one if you cannot adequately take care of yourself.

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