Sometimes Enough Is Not Enough in Caregiving
There are many days as a caregiver when you can feel as if you are at the end of your rope. You have had a bad day, you have had a bad week —nothing came easy, it was just hard!
Ask the 40 million caregivers out there if this sounds familiar. Well, we have all felt that way. But there is something about a good night sleep and a couple of days when everything is low key, then we are feeling better and refueled for the road ahead. That tends to be the cycle experienced by many caregivers.
But what if the days never get better, they seem to get worse. You are struggling, things are no longer working right. Your stress level is high and your care recipient still needs more. What do you do?
It may be time to re-evaluate how you are doing things. You need to look at what factors have changed and why. You need to look at what needs to be done to improve your caregiving situation.
Factors That Can Affect Daily Caregiving:
Increased weakness and pain of the care recipient
Decreased cognitive status of the care recipient
Unreasonable demands placed on caregiver by care recipient
Illness of the care recipient and caregiver
Decreased strength and pain of the caregiver
Lack of caregiver self-care, time away from caregiving
Some of these factors are temporary and can easily resolve when caregivers have the needed support system which allows for increased help so recovery and healing can take place. But if these factors are permanent or progressive, caregivers must consider other options and strategies.
Options Inside the Home:
Hiring of Housekeeper
Hiring of Caregivers
Occupational and Physical Therapy are great options for teaching mobility techniques, recommending safety equipment and home modifications.
Respite Care
Palliative Care
When adding care inside the home is not an option, the difficult task of longterm placement may be an option that needs to be explored.
Consuela Marshall, Occupational Therapist, Caregiver
Today’s blog is inspired by an actual client case. Listen to the Caregiver’s Finding A Foothold Episode 18: When Enough Is Not Enough
The podcast is available on the FindingAFoothold.com website and on all major podcast streaming sites.
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Disclaimer: The podcast and blog are intended to provide basic information so that you can become a more informed caregiver. The information presented is intended for educational and informational purposes only and is not meant to serve as medical advice or replace consultation with any health care providers you regularly engage with. Transmission or receipt of any of this information is not intended to, and does not, create a therapist-patient relationship. This information is not provided in the course of a therapist-patient relationship and is not intended to constitute medical advice or to substitute for obtaining medical advice from a physician or therapist licensed in the state where your family may reside. We encourage everyone to consult with your physician or therapist to see if they are appropriate and safe for you.