Tag Archives: caregiver resources

Caregiver Resources: Locator Apps for Wandering Loved Ones

Posted by Morgan Mooney on July 16, 2013 under Caregiver Corner | Be the First to Comment

Safety and Security for Wandering Seniors and Youth

Have you ever felt guilty that your loved one with dementia is losing their quality of life? Do you feel uncomfortable leaving them alone, or allowing them any freedom of their own? These days technological advances are allowing rapid communication for people of all ages, and interactive maps and location services can help anyone find their destination. These tools utilize GPS navigation with location-based mapping, which basically is able to detect a device’s current location.

With these advancements, there have been numerous applications, or “apps”, developed for wireless devices that will help locate another device. Some of these apps are designed specifically for dementia patients and other wandering diagnoses such as autism.

Comfort Zone is an app created by the Alzheimer’s Association that can detect where the user is at all times. Comfort Zone will notify family members or caregivers of their location and if they go out of a designated area.

WanderID was constructed to create a database for lost children. Those who enroll can take photos of their loved ones to put them into the system. If the child is found by someone, those first responders can take a photo, upload it to WanderID and the facial recognition software will match the photos and help return them home.

Caregiver Burnout: Signs, Symptoms and Solutions

Posted by Brooke Phillips on March 8, 2013 under Caregiver Corner | 4 Comments to Read

Caregiver Health Statistics Snapshot:

20 hrs: Average hours per week of unpaid in-home care provided by family caregivers
87%: Percentage of caregivers who are not getting enough sleep
91%: Percentage of caregivers whose own health is in decline & who report depression
4-8 years: Average life expectancy decrease for those caring for an Alzheimer’s patient

Chances are, if you’re one of the 75 million adults in North America caring for an elderly, ill, or disabled family member, you’re managing symptoms of depression, high levels of stress and often feeling overwhelmed. For caregivers who are also raising children or holding down a full-time job (known as “The Sandwich Generation”) the combined pressures of working, running a family, and caring for a loved one actually hinders their immune system’s ability to fight disease – leading to a doubled risk of developing chronic illness earlier in life.

Caregiver burnout is real, and it is serious. The last thing a working caregiver needs is to struggle with a decline in their own health – so take a moment to learn the signs and symptoms of burnout, as well as five easy tips to help you recover.

Signs and Symptoms:

Because burnout is not immediately obvious when you’re functioning in a high-stress environment, it’s often noticed first by friends or family. If loved ones have expressed concern about your health, take those concerns seriously.

Ask yourself these questions:

Have you been feeling pessimistic or dissatisfied?
Do you find yourself withdrawing from friends or avoiding social interactions?
Are you emotionally exhausted?
Are you less interested in work or hobbies that you used to enjoy?
Do you find yourself becoming impatient, irritable, or argumentative more often?
Are you increasing your alcohol consumption or prescription medication so that you can relax?
Do you feel like you’re under the weather more often?

If you’ve answered yes to two or more questions, you may be suffering from caregiver burnout. Fortunately, what is done can be undone! Here are 5 tips to help you recover from burnout and to avoid it in the future:

1. Set firm limits. Emotional health is like a bank account. You can only give – or lend – your available funds. If you’re consistently “overdrawn”, be realistic about how much time and energy you can spend on caregiving, and set firm limits. If you find yourself getting “low”, make time to replenish yourself in any of the ways listed below. If you give until there’s nothing left, you not only can’t be a successful caregiver, but your own health could be at risk.

2. Build time for yourself into your schedule. It’s not easy, but try to incorporate “me” time into your schedule. Think about activities you’ve enjoyed in the past, and try to find a way to work them into your routines. Whether it’s listening to music, gardening, cooking, working on a puzzle or walking the dog – try to find time for activities that take your mind off your daily routine.

3. Join a caregiver support group. If you’re reading this article, then you’re already looking for guidance and support. Don’t stop there! There are caregiver support groups everywhere – try calling your local senior center, hospital, doctor’s office or place of worship to inquire about meetings. If you can’t leave the house, there are plenty of caregiver support groups available online. Caregiver support groups offer a safe place to vent your frustrations, share experiences and ask advice from people in similar positions.

4. Start a journal. Whether it’s in a notebook or on a computer, writing can be a therapeutic exercise. Journals provide a private place for you to express your concerns, frustrations and emotions. Not comfortable writing? There are other options – some people turn to creating art, including everything from ink-and-pen drawings to cutouts and craft-paper. Creative projects can be the perfect way to express feelings that can’t be put into words. For more on this technique, see our blog article: Creativity and Self-Care.

5. Take care of your health. No, seriously! Take extra care to maintain a healthy diet, including super foods such as bananas, blueberries, dark chocolate, fish, nuts, eggs, and dark leafy vegetables (yes, we said chocolate!). Exercise for at least 20 minutes, 3 times a week—even a short walk around the neighborhood can help. Try to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep a night (regular exercise will help you sleep better, too), and visit your doctor for regular check-ups.

Remember, you’re not alone. Reach out for help if you need it; call a friend, family member, or even a volunteer from a senior center or church – there are many resources available if you’re willing to ask! If you can afford it, give yourself time to recharge by hiring a caregiver from a reputable home care agency, or check with your loved one’s insurance carrier to see if they provide part-time outpatient care.

For more caregiver advice, visit our Caregiver Corner blog on TotalHomeCareSupplies.com.

Caregiver Survival Tips: Creativity as Self-Care

Posted by Brooke Phillips on February 13, 2013 under Caregiver Corner | Read the First Comment

Caring for the Caregiver

In times of stress, our personal needs tend to go on the back burner. For caregivers, this happens when someone else’s needs have to come first – and this can be over an extended period of time. Without the luxury of time or space, how do we meet our own needs? Is there a way to confront and manage our emotions that doesn’t feel selfish, that doesn’t cost our loved ones the time and attention they deserve?

Paula Swenson says there is, and shows us the way by sharing her own journey. In a beautifully-written guest blog article – “Creativity as Self Care in Times of Extreme Need” – the author and artist shares how she turned to creativity to handle the stress of unexpected caregiving, and then to manage grief at her ultimate loss of a partner.

“Years ago I encountered a quote, ‘The only antidote to destruction is creation’ [which] until this point in my life I had always seen…as an external battle: to put creativity into the world to balance the destruction of war, of prejudice, or injustice. Now as I work, I realize that I am using my creativity to rebuild my destroyed identity, my sense of self that had been shredded by the unexpected loss of my best friend and anchor, my calm port, my home.”

Through an almost instinctive need to create, she reached first for ink and paper – then shifted to other materials – and found that she could express feelings through art that she wasn’t able to express in words. Her meditative creations, some sketched in the long hours of doctor’s visits and surgeries, became a way through.

“With a pocketable notebook and a waterproof-ink pen, I was able to shift my mind out of the frantic cycle of worry and stress that threatened to engulf me,” she writes. “I was able to focus on something tangible, something creative, and in so doing create a calm, ordered space in my mind. That calm and order allowed me to approach the horrifying challenges in something closer to a state of balance.”

You can read more about her journey (and see some of her creations) in this article, “Creativity as Self Care in Times of Extreme Need”. She also offers a free copy of her ebook on self care, “Care and Feeding of the Creative Self“. As for us those of us here at TotalHomeCareSupplies, we’ll be taking some of her tips ourselves. Because as caregivers, sometimes all we need to avoid burnout is a little help finding our way through.

Are you concerned about Caregiver Burnout? Read this article on warning signs and symptoms, as well as tips to help you recover. For more health information and useful tools, please visit our Resources Blog on TotalHomeCareSupplies.com.

Care More. Spend Less. Save Now.

Help For New Caregivers: First Steps

Posted by Gina Flores on January 20, 2012 under Caregiver Corner | Be the First to Comment

Caring for a loved one with a chronic medical condition as new caregiver can be overwhelming. Taking advantage of caregiver resources and establishing a comfortable routine are critical to getting off to a good start. The National Family Caregiver Alliance recommends these five steps for new caregivers.

• Understand the diagnosis. Learning about a family member’s diagnosis helps caregivers gain an understanding of the disease and its progression in order to make necessary plans for treatment and care.

• Discuss finances and healthcare wishes. While it can be difficult to have these conversations, setting up Durable Powers of Attorney for finances and healthcare can help relieve anxiety and better prepare for the future.

• Invite family and close friends to come together and discuss the care plan. A meeting of this type gives the caregiver the opportunity to share needs, the care plan and ask others for assistance from respite care to meal planning.

• Take advantage of community resources such as Meals on Wheels and adult day programs. These resources provide relief from the routine and offer a break. Seek out caregiver educational programs to increase knowledge and build confidence.

• Find support. The most important thing is for caregivers to not become isolated as they take on more responsibility and as social life moves into the background. Online and in-person groups can be very helpful in connecting with others in the same circumstances. Caregivers can call Family Caregiver Alliance at (800) 445-8106 to learn about local services, or visit caregiver.org and click on “Family Care Navigator.”