Activities of daily living…. what does that mean? Often the in-home, family caregiver wakes up one day as a caregiver; no warning, no training, maybe a few minutes of teaching in hospital discharge instructions at best. So, what is the…
Special patient diet types can be overwhelming for an overloaded caregiver. Here are some great ways to simplify the most common patient diet types and incorporate them into your family’s meal plan.
That moment of connection, a sparkle in a patient’s eye. it is autonomy, dignity, self-worth, the feeling of being valuable. My favorite moments in health care are when that light shines through my patients. As caregivers it is all too easy to get caught up in the overwhelming load of providing the best possible care, keeping house, feeding the family, balancing work and all life’s other challenges. It can often be easier and faster for the caregiver if we just do it ourselves, forgetting that it’s the small things in life that often add up to a quality life. Breathe, we’ll take this one step at a time.
By now you know I have a heart for the in-home patient, but there are times that keeping a patient at home is just simply not the best choice. Tragedy doesn’t check in with us to make sure we have our ducks in a row, our finances in order, our kids off to college, our career able to go on hold and all the other challenges of life at bay before it strikes. Many times, we find ourselves in a sandwich of hard times, between a rock and a hard place, so to speak, when tragedy hits. Sometimes a long-term care facility is the best option, or the only option for us. We may not be available to provide full time care for our loved one and may not have the financial means to hire someone else to do it
A poem depicting the unique perspective of a dementia or Alzheimer’s patient.
I have been blessed this week to look into the eyes of the tired, the frustrated, the feeling defeated but never giving up, the overwhelmed, the determined, the fearless caregivers. They don’t know how they do what they do. They just keep putting one foot in front of the other, taking it one day at a time. Some of these exceptional human beings are motivated by an intense love for the person for whom they are caring. It may be their wife, their mother, their father, their husband, their child, or a dear sweet friend with whom they have been through the good, bad and ugly that life has thrown their way. Others are driven by compassion for a total stranger.
What if a patient refuses to bathe? We try to respect their wishes. What if it goes on for days though? Now it has been a week and that person we love and care for just isn’t letting us in. They aren’t letting us help. It’s getting critical we think to ourselves. What about their skin? What about the smell? What if someone visits? Our loved one, the patient, wouldn’t want this if they were in their right mind. Are they losing their mind? What is causing this? Let’s get our detective caps on; it’s time to get to the bottom of this.
When mobility is an issue it’s sometimes easier to bring food to a loved one than to take them to food. But if your loved one is willing and especially if lack of appetite is an issue, taking them to food is the way to go. In America we are social eaters. We eat for holidays, football games, birthdays, date nights, barbeques, graduations, weddings. You name it, we eat. Social eating brings back good memories, happy thoughts and an increased chance of an appetite. Eating alone can be sad, depressing, and appetite suppressing. However, sometimes dignity is the issue. In the privacy of our loved one's room, we don them with a bib and maybe even an extra towel for good measure. Also, they may need assistance with eating. Here are a few tips:
In taking care of a loved one we can get really caught up in keeping them safe, keeping them healthy, keeping the situation under control. Our goal sometimes becomes quantity of life over quality of life. Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for life and life as long as possible. But I want life as good as possible as well.
