Staying Organized as a Caregiver: 5 Tips for Caring for Your Aging Loved One
Caregiving for an elderly loved one is one of the most challenging and rewarding roles you’ll ever fill. Whether you’re just starting or you’ve been caring for a parent or other elder for some time, you know that staying organized is essential. With so many tasks to accomplish, it can be difficult to find a moment in the day to meet your own basic needs.
Better organization will lower your stress and improve the level of care you’re able to offer. Yet, getting organized can feel like an overwhelming job on its own. Start by giving yourself a break. When it comes to being a caretaker, there’s no such thing as perfection. Know that you’re doing your best every day.
1. Create a Routine
A daily routine will help to alleviate everyone’s stress. Carving out time each day to complete all the necessary tasks will leave you with more time to practice beneficial sleep practices in the evening. A predictable routine will also make things easier for your loved one.
Try creating a schedule for each day, week, and month. Include daily tasks like housekeeping, distributing medications, and helping your loved one with hygiene. Don’t forget those weekly or monthly chores like grocery shopping or trips to the doctor. The most important thing to include in your routine is time for enjoyable activities. It’s easy to become so caught up in caregiving responsibilities that you forget to relax together.
2. Create a System for Medication Management
Keeping track of which medications go with food, which ones are given at bedtime, and when they all need to be refilled can be overwhelming. Pill organizers help keep things straight, but if the job is too time-consuming or you are concerned about missing medications, consider paying for a medication management service or downloading a pill organization app on your phone.
3. Declutter Your Space
Finding the time to do a major home cleanup may seem impossible, but a few hours of decluttering could save you dozens of hours every month. Your home doesn’t have to be picture-perfect, but getting rid of the things you don’t need will automatically make you feel more calm and confident.
Clutter can stack up easily when well-meaning people give you or your loved one the latest gadget guaranteed to make a senior’s life easier. Along with household gadgets, unused healthcare devices can also take up space and end up making your job harder. Box up the unneeded items and schedule a pickup time with your favorite charity.
4. Use a Dedicated Caregiving Calendar
Use a common wall calendar as a caregiving planner. Mark all appointments, activities, and days when respite care may be needed. Use a separate calendar to note holidays and other special events. Keeping the caregiving calendar available for your loved one to see will help them anticipate and prepare for upcoming events.
5. Prepare for Emergencies
Life is unpredictable, and the job of caregiving increases the unpredictability. What will you do if you get hurt or too sick to care for your loved one for a few days? What if a storm causes a major power outage or environmental factors force you and your loved one to evacuate your home?
You can’t prepare for every possibility, but you can prepare for the most likely ones. Keep an emergency bag filled with essential supplies and instructions for a backup caregiver in case you’re unavailable during an emergency. Also, make sure you have enough extra medications, food, water, and other basics on hand at all times.
Creating an emergency file is also a great idea. This file could include an updated medication list, information about your loved one’s needs, contact lists (including medical providers and pharmacies), and any appropriate legal papers.
Do You Need Help?
You can be the most loving and organized caregiver in the world and still not have time to do it all. If you find you’re catching up on housework or personal errands late into the evening or that you constantly feel exhausted and stressed no matter how hard you try, it may be that there simply aren’t enough hours in the day to accomplish everything that needs to be done.
Hiring an in-home helper doesn’t mean you’ve failed; it shows that you take your responsibilities seriously. Whether you need a day of respite care every month or the support of an experienced caregiver every day, finding a professional caregiver can leave you more time to enjoy special moments with your loved one.
If you or your family member is considering in-home care as part of a plan to age in place, contact Family Matters In-Home Care today for a free consultation. Our team is dedicated to supporting your family and helping older adults enjoy life in the comfort of their own home for as long as possible.
Some of the services offered by Family Matter In-Home Care include: Alzheimer’s & Dementia Care, Bed & Wheelchair Transfer Assistance, Companionship, Housekeeping & Meal Preparation, Personal Care, Recovery Care, and Transportation.
Serving the San Francisco Bay Area and Greater San Diego, Family Matter In-Home Care has offices throughout California.
