@yolande73, I recommend that you contact a local hospice or someone at the hospital like chaplaincy or social work to inquire about supports for YOU. Hospice and social work services are available for caregivers. They can also help you navigate the challenges in communication with the care team.
Having a caregiver checklist can reduce stress, help you manage your day and ensure that the senior in your care gets their daily needs met.
Isolation – Caregivers can often feel cut off from the outside world. So much time and energy is spent caring for someone else, caregivers often don't have time to take care of themselves. If you start to feel isolated, reach out to close friends and family to see if they are able to help.
What do caregivers need most? Listen attentively. Really listen to what they have to say. Don't tell horror stories. Don't be judgmental. Ask what they need. Offer the gift of your time. Give your friend space. Bring food. Offer to take your friend out—and help arrange respite care.
A caregiver must: (1) Be at least 18 years of age; (2) Have a high school diploma or its equivalent, and upon request verify completion of any high school equivalency program with original documentation to us. (3) Meet the requirements in Subchapter F of Chapter 745 of this title (relating to Background Checks);
A family and friends care arrangement, also known as kinship care, is one in which a child who cannot be cared for by their parent(s) or another person with parental responsibility goes to live with a relative, friend, or other connected person.
The Pennsylvania Caregiver Support Program helps people who take care of others. It offers resources and support to make caregiving easier and to keep a good relationship with the person being cared for. The program aims to reduce caregiver stress by focusing on the caregiver's well-being.
Family caregiving is the act of providing at-home care for a relative, friend, or other loved one with a physical or mental health problem. As life expectancies increase, medical treatments advance, and more people live with chronic illnesses and disabilities, many of us find ourselves caring for a loved one at home.
But realistically, if you take a loved one regularly to the doctor, or buy their groceries, or have a sibling with special needs whom you support, advocate for an ill spouse, or engage in long-distance care of a loved one, you are a caregiver. The important thing to recognize is that your caring role is important.