6 Ways a Caregiver Provides Mental and Emotional Support
A caregiver's job has multiple facets, going far beyond meeting the physical needs of the elderly individual. The support the caregiver provides is also mental and emotional. In the face of difficult changes and declining health, the caregiver shows up and treats the elder like a real person. This might be more important than we can even imagine.
1. Companionship
The caregiver is the person the elder sees most throughout his or her days and nights. Television and radio provide a sort of distraction from problems, but the caregiver can provide real companionship. This one-on-one personal interaction adds the necessary human element that all humans need to thrive in their life. We need human companionship or we get lonely and depressed, which leads to actual physical deterioration. The caregiver not only provides physical care; she gives a reason to keep living.
2. Comfort
A good caregiver will recognize that she is there to provide more than simply the necessary functions. Her love and thoughtfulness gives comfort to the elder. Simply plumping a pillow, squeezing a hand for encouragement, or showing the elder a pretty picture in a magazine can lift spirits and spread peace. Being in need of care is an uncomfortable, stressful position to be in, so the caregiver tries to relieve that discomfort with small blessings.
3. Self-Dignity and Independence
Being in need of a caregiver is often an undignified position. Needing someone to help you eat or help you use the bathroom can be very embarrassing. The caregiver may often find herself embarrassed as well. How can she maintain dignity while so many undignified tasks need to be performed? Learn the art of tactfulness. Be cheerful and kind. Remember that taking care of the elder at home is giving this person a chance to be more independent, even if it doesn't seem like it. Your very presence is needed to help the elder appear more dignified to the rest of the world.
4. Effective Communication
When the caregiver takes time to learn how to communicate with the elder, especially when speech is impaired, she is providing a way for that person to express needs and wants that might otherwise be ignored. Learning any language takes time and practice, and the language of the person being cared for may not be an easy one to learn. However, communication is key to life and happiness, and if you can communicate when others cannot, then you are truly a special person in the elder's life. Your connection is making a difference.
5. Empathy
Empathy means thinking about what it would be like to be the person you are caring for. This gives you an opportunity to understand your elder and to figure out what needs to be done. If you can better understand the person you're caring for, you're going to improve all your caregiving abilities. Plus, you're more likely to be kind and gentle to your elder.
6. Happiness
Depression and anxiety can cover your elder's mood like a dark cloud. Let your own sunny smile and attitude pierce the darkness. Be positive and provide reasons for your elder to be positive. This will make your own job easier, and it could be contagious! You want your elder to be happy and well cared for, so let your own optimistic cheerfulness brighten his or her life.
Our professional caregivers at Elite Home Health Care do more than just taking care of physical needs. They are real human beings with a heart for the individuals they care for. They understand the discomforts that seniors face, and they want to be the help your elder needs. Please contact us to learn more about our company and what we can do for you.
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