Caring for a loved one at home is a rewarding yet challenging responsibility.
Family carers often find themselves balancing personal commitments, work, and caregiving. With the right strategies, you can provide the best care while ensuring your own well-being. Here are some effective techniques and strategies that we teach our carers to help you navigate the demands of home care.
Use Effective Communication
One strategy we teach our carers to provide the best possible person-centred care is effective communication. There are many ways of delivering this, such as speaking clearly and simply. Avoiding complex terminology and using language that the service user can easily understand can also be beneficial for the person, especially when the conversation might include sensitive topics.
It is important to remain patient with your loved one. Give them time to process the information you have delivered to them, and when they are ready to respond, be mindful of interrupting them. Allow them to finish talking, and give them time to express themselves in whichever way they wish to.
Finally, consider nonverbal communication, as this is another positive form of communication. One way to do this is by expressing positive body language, keeping eye contact when conversing, and using gestures. Facial expressions are another great way to express messages and signals, as they can match the message you are trying to deliver to the person.
Understand Behavioural Changes
Behavioural management strategies are essential for addressing challenges or changes in behaviour, usually seen in those living with issues such as dementia or mental health issues.
Showing compassion and making the effort to understand the root cause of your loved one’s behaviour will help you to identify their trigger points, whether this is a certain situation or a particular environment, allowing you to make adaptations accordingly.
It is also important to consider the emotional needs of your loved one during heightened periods of tension at home. Are they exhibiting feelings of frustration, anxiety, or confusion? If so this may help you decide how best to address them.
Don’t forget to consider medical and mental health factors that could have an impact on behavioural changes. Side effects of medications may be causing pain leading to these changes, or mental health might be playing a role in being a root cause in the behaviour differences.
Engage in Activities
As previously mentioned, care isn’t one size fits all, and that is why we offer personalised care plans for each individual. For family carers who are managing conditions, such as Dementia, at home it’s vital to get your loved one engaged in activities that will help to stimulate the brain.
Completing puzzles, crosswords and games that work the brain can improve problem-solving skills and enhance memory recall. Also, reading books is a great way to maintain and improve memory and language skills, if your loved one is struggling to read for themselves, then why not share a book between As well as reading storytelling enables the person to retell stories from their past which can stimulate memories for them.
Establish a Routine
Where possible, try to create consistency with daily activities as this will help to reduce confusion and stress for both you and your loved one. Set regular meal times, planning in nutritious, balanced meals and schedule in some time for personal care, such as bathing, dressing and grooming to keep daily care more manageable.
Take Care of Yourself
Carer burnout is a real risk when balancing caregiving duties with other responsibilities. It’s important to look after your own health to avoid becoming overwhelmed. It may be difficult to say no to your loved one but it’s often necessary to set boundaries. Don’t be afraid to delegate tasks to other family members or ask for help if you’re struggling.
If you have a holiday planned then using a professional service like our Respite Care may be just what you need to relax whilst you’re away, safe in the knowledge that your mum or dad are comfortable and happy back at home with the assistance of our professional home carers.
Caring for a family member at home requires a thoughtful blend of compassion, planning, and self-care. By adopting these strategies, family carers can manage the demands of caregiving while enhancing the quality of life for their loved ones. With the right support and resources, home care can be a fulfilling and successful journey for both you and your loved one, and our friendly team are just on the end of the phone if you find that you need some extra support.
