צוות iSavta | 13.11.2019

 

Caregivers do their best to offer the highest possible quality of life to their patient.  They manage the daily needs of their patient and handle unexpected situations that occur. Great caregivers are able to plan well and solve problems that they encounter while taking care of someone in need.  Below are some tips on how you could be more effective in your work.

 

Planning

Create a list of the caregiving tasks so that you would not have any chance to forget them.  When you create a list, put it according to order of importance. Prioritize what needs to be done first.  If there are tasks on the list that you need help with, it is advised to ask the patient’s friends or family who can help you.

 

Communication

Effective communication is vital in giving care to someone.  As a caregiver, you must listen to what your patient says their needs are.  Not only that, you also need to pay attention to your patient’s gestures, facial expressions, and eye contact.  When explaining things to your patient, you should stay calm and slow down. Since your patient is usually an elderly, be kind and be tolerant to how they act and there is a good chance that you two will have a good relationship with each other.

 

Problem Solving Tips

Your problem solving skill comes handy when dealing with an elderly patient.  First, you need to identify the problems that already exist, understand them, and find out what you can do to help you address that problem.  Ask for advice from other professional caregivers for some problems that are new to you. Do not hesitate to ask help from family members when needed.  Keep contact numbers of the patient’s loved ones and the health care team ready so that you can easily communicate with them if you have any questions or if there is any emergency.  When trying out solutions to a problem, examine and evaluate which one will work best for your patient and assess the results.

 

Stay Positive and Proactive

In some cases, you may not have the control of the situation.  Try to stay calm and positive when dealing with a problem. To prevent any difficult emergencies from happening, plan very well and make sure that you are in contact with the patient’s health care team and loved ones regularly.  Ask questions to the patient’s doctor about his condition and learn more about it online or thru other caregiver’s with similar cases.

 

Self-Care

Taking care of others can be both physically and emotionally draining. That is why it is important to also check on yourself and do the things that you enjoy to reduce the risk of you from being unwell and exhausted. As a caregiver, having enough sleep is crucial to your physique and mental state. It is hard for a caregiver to sleep without worrying at first.  Just remember that you need physical strength in your daily tasks and a sharp mind in decision making. You can also do at least a 15-minute daily workout routine to keep your body fit. Balancing your work duties and life outside work will be beneficial to both you and the recipient of your care.

These simple tips will certainly help reduce the stress you will experience in caregiving.  The challenges you will face as a caregiver are not easy but if you prepare well, communicate effectively, stay positive, and take care of yourself, you will solve the problems a caregiver encounters with lesser difficulty.