Takeaway Tips from Our Caregiving Story
Takeaways from Our Experience
We ran into quite a few challenges along the caregiving journey. In the end, several things made the experience smoother. Fortunately, the process brought us from stressed out caregivers to happy family again. Here’s a bit of what we learned along the way:
Don’t neglect the warning signs.
Our family should have brought in help sooner. We didn’t realize how hard it was on Grandpa. He was doing double duty taking care of himself and Grandma. Without proper nutrition and rest, he became frail and weak.
Grandma wasn’t eating and drinking properly. She was afraid of getting up to go to the bathroom, so she became dehydrated and weak. Sometimes she wet herself because she couldn’t get up. They weren’t able to cook proper meals and both didn’t have much appetite.
Talk about wishes and make plans for aging.
The less you have to deal with in a crisis, the better. Not starting from scratch made our process much smoother. Additionally, plan for coordination. Have a point of contact to manage care, make decisions, and simplify communication. Technology can make communication easier, with simple options like a group chat or online care management tools. We had two adult children and spouses (one set traveling overseas), husband, sister, family friends, the preacher, their “housekeeper” and now the home care company and caregiver…all with opinions. It’s a disaster without coordination and someone to make decisions.
The right care team/plan means thriving, not just surviving.
My grandparents started gaining weight and energy. Smelling food cooking stimulated their appetites. Homemade meals are not only healthier but way more appealing than cold snacks. Besides the socialization of the caregivers, my grandparents felt comfortable having visitors again. Their moods improved with support and confidence.
Grandma’s memory is better now that she has a routine. She and grandpa now take their medications regularly and eat real meals.
When I call them, we talk about activities they’ve done rather than a list of symptoms or pains. They tell me about games they played, listening to their church podcast, and stories from their caregiver.
Once the crisis is averted, think long-term.
Once we had a great care team in place, we had to start planning for the future. I contacted their long-term care insurance and made a new budget. Our family started looking at different options such as assisted living facilities. But, if they decide to make that move we want to be sure they can stay together. By being proactive we can be better prepared.
Contact us for a care management consultation. Start planning, stop waiting for the crisis call.
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