Committed Caregivers

 Building a positive and solid relationship with your family caregiver lays the foundation for strong, compassionate, and effective care. If you are a family member making plans for your parents or grandparents, who have difficulty with ordinary daily activities, caring, or sports, or if you are receiving home care yourself, it is within your power to forge a good and trusting relationship with your family caregiver. We are going to share several tips that may help you build a good and Trust with caregiver 1. Communicate Openly and Honestly Express Your Needs and Preferences  Good foundation for any good caregiving relationship, so state your needs early on. Let those who take on the role of caring for you know exactly what you expect from them, in terms of the kinds of care you might require (eg, do you need assistance or supervision with meals, bathing, or dressing?), the routines with which you are comfortable, and your preferences about daily activities or interactions (eg, would you welcome a bedtime story read to you every evening?). Provide Feedback  Offer continual feedback to your caregiver about what is going well and what might need to be changed. This positive feedback will help your caregiver know what to do more of and when to adjust. This will also help to resolve issues if any are brought up.  Encourage Two-Way Communication  Make your caregiver feel safe sharing his or her thoughts and concerns. When you make the effort to do this, you both benefit. It helps build respect; you’d rather be seen as a force to reckon with than silent and brooding. And through respect, you allow your caregiver to be honest about what he or she can handle and can’t. When you do have a flare, it’s better to address it even before you ask why. 2. Set Clear Expectations Outline Care Plans  Come up with a clear, written care plan that spells out the details of what the caregiver will be expected to do. This care plan should include specifics on daily routines, medication management, and medical needs so that the caregiver and care recipient have a written plan to follow. Discuss Boundaries Always enforce boundaries – this might seem obvious, but it’s not! You want to maintain a cool, respectful intellectual working relationship with your student, for instance stating that touching you will not be tolerated, and then adhering to that message without deviation. 3. Show Appreciation and Respect Acknowledge Efforts  Recognize the caregiver and acknowledge his or her efforts to care for you: ‘You’re working hard, I appreciate it, thank you.’ Verbal expressions of recognition, especially as the care needs change, will go a long way to create goodwill. A simple ‘Thanks for helping. I know it’s hard,’ or even a thank-you note and a thoughtful gift can make someone feel valued. Respect Their Expertise  respect the caregiver’s expertise and experience Allow a caregiver, especially a professional one, to do their job. Recognize their training and knowledge, and do not micromanage them or hover around them. Trust them to do their work. 4. Foster a Collaborative Relationship Involve the Caregiver in Decision-Making  Where possible, ask for the contact details of the midwife, nurse, or ‘carer’ to keep her updated about the care plan and any changes made. This will help to generate trust and demonstrate that you value her opinion and ability to care. Set Goals Together  Request that your care worker partner with you in setting goals around your well-being or care, including goal-directed plans that help achieve your goals and facilitate communication with other caregivers. Interestingly, involving care workers in goal-setting results in care that more closely reflects individuals’ needs and goals. 5. Provide Training and Resources Offer Training  If you have special needs or preferences that call for a particular knowledge or skill, ask your caregiver to get some training or provide the necessary resources. Perhaps there’s information about how to manage a certain medical condition, or he or she needs to know how to use equipment or prepare certain kinds of meals. Share Relevant Information  Make sure the caregiver has all of the relevant information about your medical conditions, the medications you are on, and whatever other aspects of your health and care your dentist deems important. This will allow your care 6. Build Personal Rapport Get to Know Each Other  And paying attention – getting to know them on a personal level, by sharing your interests, hobbies, and anecdotes, so that your relationship feels that much more friendly. Encourage Open Dialogue  Keep channels of communication open, and share some lighthearted banter to help build rapport and make your interactions more enjoyable.  7. Handle Conflicts Professionally Address Issues Promptly  It is important to deal with problems or conflicts quickly and professionally. Do not ignore or grow mouldy problems, or the delivery of care can also take on a mouldy character. Use Constructive Communication  How issues – constructive versus confrontational or blaming language as opposed to a language that seeks solutions; whether you approach problems with a problem-solving or a conflict-seeking frame of mind – these aspects of discourse are important to diffusing anger. 8. Support Their Well-Being Recognize Their Needs  Accept that there will be caregiver stress and pressure. Details such as shift handovers, sharing a good anecdote about someone with dementia, and scheduling means of support for the caregiver are important. Giving the caregiver a small break or recognizing their work can make a difference. A person with dementia who receives attentive care will benefit from this emotionally. Encourage Work-Life Balance  Finally, respect the boundaries of their private time. All these measures will help avoid the dreaded condition of compassion fatigue that can be a surefire way to losing a good career altogether.  9. Maintain Regular Check-Ins Schedule Regular Meetings  Schedule a regular time to meet or check in, and talk about the care you’re giving – and receiving. Don’t wait until you’ve been through a really bad long night or you’ve been drained for

 Choosing the right home care service for a family member can be a tough decision and one with far-reaching consequences for their health, happiness, and quality of life. Home care services provide support for people who are unable to live independently, because of old age, illness, or disability. They allow people to stay in their own homes instead of moving to institutional residential care, like a nursing home. This guide sets out the main considerations when choosing home care for a family member. 1. Assessing Care Needs Determine Specific Needs  Companionship: Is the person sociable and would companionship – via companion care – provide for needs they are missing out on?  Evaluate the Level of Care 2. Researching Choosing home care service Verify Credentials and Accreditation Check Reputation and Reviews 3. Evaluating Caregivers Qualifications and Training Compatibility and Personal Fit 4. Understanding Services and Flexibility Service Offerings Customization and Flexibility 5. Reviewing Costs and Financial Options Cost Structure  What do I pay for? Get a clear idea of how home care is priced. You’ll most likely be charged an hourly rate, but some providers offer daily rates or flat fees. Ask what factors might cause your bill to change, especially if you’re being served in a special setting like a hospital or around the clock. Also, ask about extra charges for special services or equipment.  Insurance and Payments: Check if the provider accepts your insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, or other funding. If so, double-check the coverage and any out-of-pocket Financial Planning 6. Ensuring Quality and Communication Quality Assurance Communication and Support  Schedule routine Updates: Specify how frequently the agency contacts the family regarding the progress of the individual’s care and with updates to their status.  Support Services: Are there services that help with ongoing case management or caregiver support to enable families to cope with care? 7. Legal and Ethical Considerations Contracts and Agreements Ethical Standards  Whether you’re exploring home care services yourself or on behalf of an older relative or friend, you’ll quickly discover that this is no time to make a snap decision. The stakes are too high. Finding the right service requires homing in on the individual’s needs, responding to both their expressed and implied wishes, weighing up care providers against their peers, and above all, Choosing home care service option that doesn’t cut corners.