A Caregiver's Guide To Coping With Stress

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The journey of a care giver is definitely not easy especially when the responsibility is suddenly placed on you. Caring for elderly, be it your own parent or any relative, can be extremely stressful when your are tied up with your own family commitment and work. The job of care giving can cause you to burn out and depressed. Sometimes, you may not be appreciated for all the things you have done especially when your elderly don't even recognize you. That really hurt right.

On the other hand, it can be a rewarding and satisfying experience. Knowing that you trying your best to care for the person who had been taking care of you in the earlier part of their life can be fulfilling.

For any of you who are experiencing the stress of care giving for elderly, I hope this free E-book will be of help to you. You can download it at my website.

Safety and Security at Home

As senior age, all their senses may not be as sensitive as before and their memories will deteriorate. 

a) Fire risk
Fire causes loss of lives and homes to many. Just as it is important to have to get an extinguisher for your household. Installing smoke and carbon monoxide detector in the kitchen or even other part of the house can be a sensible decision. When a senior has a declining memory and still doing the cooking for the family. There is high tendency of fire in the kitchen if the senior forgotten to turn off the stove or didn't notice the burning smell. This is not only applicable to senior only. As long as we cook at home. There is a possibility that it might happens. Other fire incidents include burning of praying altar, un-extinguished cigarette butts, electrical fire and so on. Ensuring the safety of your family members is the first priority in any home. 

Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Detector with Talking Alarm

Installing video intercom system for senior help them to identify clearly who is the visitor before opening the door. With failing vision, identifying visitor through the peep hole of the door is difficult. The video intercom help to prevent senior from opening door to complete stranger who may turn out to be robber. 

Intercom System with LCD Monitor and Night Vision Security Camera

Door bell that light up upon depressing of the button, inform the senior with hearing problem of visitor. Similarly, buy your senior a house phone equipped with light signal to inform senior of incoming calls. 

Premium Portable Wireless Door Chime and Push Button

Memory loss is one of the byproduct of aging. Make sure they always have phone numbers of family members with them. Get them a mobile phone with elder safety feature. They can hit the emergency button when there is need. 

Once you notice that your senior is forgetting things, maybe it will be good to equip them with GPS tracking device so that they can be located in case they lose their way.

  watch gps locator for Elderly/child

 Senior Mobile Phone

 Wandering Prevention and Emergency Alert Watch

Planning for aging in place

The major focus on aging in place is the home where the senior resides. Considerations have to be taken to ensure that the home that they resides in cater to their needs as they age. 

Home modification is one of the basic needs for aging in place. Modifications can be major or minor depending on the elder's needs and budget. One can seek for professional help to propose a serial of remodel and do a total overhaul of your home to fit the need of aging in place and yet look in to the aesthetic requirements of the owner. Alternatively, one can also make use of products available in our website to recreate an elder friendly home.

In general, a home for aging in place must have 3 of the following elder friendly features in placed: 

1.     Falls prevention

2.     Security and Safety concern

3.     Accessibility and mobility needs

Fall Prevention
Seniors are more prone to fall. As their body muscles deteriorate, seniors are more likely to lose their balance. Fall is one of the highest causes of injuries at home. 

Prevention is always better than remedy, fall proof your senior home is the first criteria to achieve quality live while aging in place.

Here are some tips in fall prevention :

a)     House-keeping
If the senior’s home or your home (if you are staying with your parents) is cluttered with old newspapers and unused stuffs and toys all over the place, it time for major house-keeping. You will notice while you de-clutter the house, there are things that your elderly or you don't even remember they existed laying at one corner of the store or along the corridor in the house. 

Take this opportunity to get rid of things which are no longer in used like textbooks and files from your school day, toys collections during your childhood, old clothes, unused toaster, radio given by whoever and whatsoever. Get the permission of your parents if needed, throw or give them away. You can also conduct a junk sale. You may even earn some cash for the modification works. 

The purpose of this exercise is to clear out unnecessary stuffs causing obstruction and posing risk to falls. 

b)      Store within reach

Foot Stool with Support

When storing items that are frequently used, make sure there are within reach of your senior so that they don't have to over stretch themselves. If possible don't store thing too high up. A foot stool with support come in handy in reaching higher cabinet in the house.

c)      Anti-slip

Anti Skid Epoxy

Anti-Slip Stickers on Shower Tray

Anti Slip Tape

Anti Slip Non Skid Safety Bath Mat

Marble, granite and terrazzo finishes are highly slippery when wet. Applying anti-slip coating and anti-slip adhesive does help to a certain degrees. However, regular maintenance to ensure that the floors are dry and clean will help to retain the anti-slip properties of these products.

Areas like bathtub, toilet and shower which are wet most of the time need special attention. Anti-slip mat can be used at the bath tub or anti-slip coating on the floor to prevent fall from slippery.

Loose carpet, floor mat and rug should be replaced with one that can strongly adhere to the floor. These items are culprits to trip and falls if placed unsecured to the floor.

d)            Support

Grab bars

Security (floor to ceiling) Poles

Shower Chair

Elevated Toilet Seat with Support

     Grab bars and security poles must be provided in the shower and bathtub area to provide support to the frail. Having a shower chair or bench in the shower is a added fall prevention feature.

For senior who have hip or replacement or knee problem getting seated to a low sofa and getting up can be a difficult task. A security poles, seat lift, elevated toilet seat with support can ease the situation.

e)      One level household

Stair Lift

    Elderly's household should be kept to one floor where possible. This is to avoid senior having to climb staircase to get to the bedroom or bathroom hence help to reduce the risk of fall. If really this is unavoidable, a stair lift can be considered. It does assist senior with knee or hip problem to get up to the next level at ease.

     f)       Sufficient lighting 

     Sufficient lighting in senior home is a must. These can help to prevent fall especially for senior with reduced vision.