Dealing with Elderly Incontinence
Filed under Caregiver education, Elderly Caregiver
Learn to manage incontinence
Incontinence, or loss of bladder control, is a common condition that many caregivers must deal with. It is actually a symptom, not a disease in itself, caused by a wide range of conditions and disorders, including pelvic surgery injuries, certain diseases, infection and degenerative changes associated with aging. Some medications may also cause incontinence.
People with incontinence often experience emotional as well as physical discomfort. There is much that can be done to treat and manage the condition. One of the first steps you should take is to talk a doctor, who can help devise a treatment plan. Here are some additional tips to help you deal with the common challenges associated with incontinence:
Elderly Urinary Incontinence Tips
If you are a home caregiver, make it easy to find the bathroom. Use night lights in the bedroom and hallways, or keep the bathroom light on overnight. Brightly colored arrows or glow-in-the-dark tape on the walls to point the way can also help lessen confusion in the dark.
Many people have accidents because they can’t reach the bathroom in time. Purchase commodes, which is a seat with a opening at the bottom, for toilet use. Consider encouraging the use of a cane or walker to help increase mobility. Create a safe and easy path to the bathroom. Rearrange furniture, and remove clutter and other obstacles such as unsafe area rugs. Also, stairs may make it harder to reach the bathroom in time.
Straining to get in or out of a chair or bed may put added pressure on the bladder and cause accidents. Chairs with sturdy arms on the sides help provide leverage to get in and out easier. Avoid rocking chairs if the person has difficulty getting out of them. Consider an automatic handicapped lift chair that helps one sit and stand with minimal effort.
Allow adequate time and privacy in the bathroom to completely empty the bladder. Remove wet clothing immediately after an accident and rinse as soon as possible to cut down on odor. Can’t rinse right away? Store in an airtight container or plastic bag with a room deodorizer placed inside. Create a schedule of regular trips to the bathroom. Start by going every two hours, and slowly increase the intervals over several weeks.
If accidents are happening near the toilet, is it because the person finds it difficult to sit down on the toilet? A raised toilet seat elevates the toilet height to a more comfortable level. Also, think about adding wall handrails to make things even easier.
If you feel awkward or unqualified to do these tasks, you can always hire a caregiver for the job.
Tags: Elderly Incontinence, Urinary Incontinence
Caregiver Advice
Filed under Caregiver education
Caregiving is one of the most important duties you will ever need to perform. Regardless of how you became a care provider, you may feel unprepared, nervous and overwhelmed about what is expected of you. At the same time, you want to provide the best care you possibly can. Because you likely are helping someone whose body or mind is no longer fully functioning, it’s important that you become a healthcare advocate.
Accepting key responsibility for healthcare means serving as a liaison between physicians, nurses and pharmacists to make sure all needs are safely met. This requires a proactive, informed approach to organizing appointments, ensuring all healthcare providers are aware of medications and therapies, and being aware of physical and emotional needs. These are all skills you can put on a caregiver resume.
Taking responsibility for someone else’s healthcare can feel overwhelming at times, especially if you attempt to handle it all on your own. It may not even be possible for one person to perform all the duties required in providing good care. In order to achieve some control over the situation, make a plan of action.
Determine the proper level of care
Start by listing the tasks that must be done, then assess your resources. Which duties can you handle yourself, and which will require professional assistance?
Consider outside professional help
You may discover things that require professional help, such as nursing care or special transportation. Are you uncomfortable with performing certain medical procedures or personal care responsibilities? Does the person you care for prefer professional assistance for personal care to help maintain privacy and dignity? It this is the case, it’s important you find the appropriate help. Caregiver jobs are also readily filled if you so choose to hire someone.
Boost your knowledge
The more knowledge you have, the better level of care you can offer. Do all you can to find practical information to prepare you for your responsibilities, which can help relieve anxiety. Research senior-related organizations, find support groups, read books, and look up websites that offer all types of caregiving and disease-specific information.
Talk to your local pharmacist
If you have medication questions, health questions or just general care questions, talk to a trained pharmacist. They’re all there to help, and they know that every question is important.
Tags: Caregiver Tips
What Defines A Caregiver?
Filed under Caregiver education
Most people do not plan to become a caregiver, it is something that just happens. The need may come about suddenly and unexpectedly when a loved one is stricken with illness or injury that limits independence or it may materialize slowly and expand over time as one ages and his or her health deteriorates. Usually, caregivers must alter their own lifestyle in some way in order to help their relative or friend.
Caregiver Facts
- Most caregivers (89 percent) are helping relatives.
- One in four care recipients lives with his or her caregiver.
- Nearly 80 percent of care recipients are over age 50.
- Caregivers say the most common health problems of those they care for over age 50 are diabetes cancer or heart disease.
- About 25 percent of caregivers helping someone age 50 or older report Alzheimer’s, dementia or some other form of mental confusion is an issue. As a Alzheimer’s caregiver, you must have patience and understanding of their situation.
- The typical caregiver is a 46-year-old woman who works and spends more than 20 hours per week caring for a relative or friend who lives nearby.
Tags: Caregiver Facts
The Caregiver’s Role
Filed under Caregiver education
In a 2004 study by the National Alliance for Caregiving and the American Association for Retired Persons, more than 44 million Americans are providing care to a spouse, parent, relative or friend. Caregivers are very much a part of our society that affects people of all races, lifestyles and income levels.
Caregivers demonstrate love and commitment and strengthen relationships to everyone around them. The responsibilities and role of a caregiver can range from around-the-clock supervision to weekly visits or calls. The duties of a caregiver have a wide range of roles such as supervising of others who provide care and offering caregiver assistance.
You may be involved in shopping, cooking, cleaning and running errands. In many ways, you are the extra hand in providing the daily needs of an individual, such as transportation, bathing, toileting, dressing and feeding.
Caregivers become an advocate for their care recipients and aid them in financial and legal management and advice. Caregiver roles include supervising or dispensing medication. If required, they arrange for healthcare and call the person to check on him or her.
On a more abstract level, caregivers work to listen, talk and providing emotional support whenever possible. Caregiving may seem like a one way relationship on paper but in order to provide the best care, you must be able to maintain your own well-being. Many people develop patience and interpersonal skills during the process of being a caregiver.
