When you first start out as a caregiver you might be helping your senior now and again. Down the road, suddenly caregiving is a day and night activity that has you up at all hours solving problems. You might need to set up some tools that can help you deal with all of this.

Do as Much Prep Work as You Can

There’s a lot that goes into caregiving, but you can prepare for a lot of it. Develop plans and backup plans. Make sure that you’re on top of symptoms, needs, and appointments. When you have the information you need at the tips of your fingers, you can access everything a lot more readily. Digitize paperwork to make it easier to search. Learn as much as you can and stay updated on your senior’s health conditions. It’s a lot of work, but it will help.

Stay Aware of Your Own Needs

Even though you’re busy, make sure that you take time daily to check in with yourself. How are you doing? What do you need? If you’re not getting what you need, is there a way for you to change something so that you can start to get what you need? You’re still a person with your own life, even if you are also a caregiver. It’s vital that you remember that.

Don’t Try to Do Too Much Yourself

You may be trying to do everything yourself and when caregiving is suddenly something that requires your time and attention all day and all night, that’s going to quickly become impossible. You’re going to need help, whether that’s from other family members or from elder care providers. Lean on whatever help you’re able to get because you’re going to need that more and more.

Take Frequent Breaks

You need to make sure that you’re taking time away, too. Very often caregivers skip over that part because they think that they’re supposed to keep going no matter what. You need breaks and you need to be able to do things other than being a caregiver. Step away, let elder care providers handle things for a few hours, and return refreshed.

Your senior’s needs don’t remain static over time. They continue to change and you may quickly find that you’re needed a lot more than you were in even the recent past. Try to prepare for that before caregiving becomes something that demands every minute of your time.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring a Caregiver in San Jose, CA, contact the friendly staff at Home Care Professionals today.
Call (866)-940-4855

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andy@hcprosonline.com

CEO at HomeCare Professionals

Andy Howardis a Bay Area Native who holds a BA in Political Science (University of Colorado at Boulder, ’97). After college Andy worked in the surging tech industry.His Grandmother however, would suffer a significant decline in health and ultimately needed in-home care. The experience of a loved one depending on outside help to age in place proved to be pivotal for Andy as he left the tech industry in 2002 for an opportunity in the home care world with a large provider. After having success in home care, but being frustrated by corporate constraints Andy founded HomeCare Professionals in 2005.He methodically built the company one client at a time by focusing on hiring quality caregivers to ensure positive outcomes. Currently Andy serves as the CEO of HomeCare Professionals and is also highly active in the non-profit organization California Association of Health Services at Home (CAHSAH) which advocates for a higher standard of in-home care for those who wish to remain living at home in California.

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