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Caring for the elders is a rewarding job, be it a paid employment in a nursing home or looking after an elderly relative. However, this is a mentally stressful role that may leave you exhausted to the point of desolation. Care giving requires patience and compassion and not all are able to perform this function easily.
The job of care giving is easier if it is your own relative; however, it is difficult to develop the required qualities if you are taking up a paid job. Irrespective of whom you are caring for, you need to protect your own mental health in order to do your job efficiently.
You can do a number of things to keep up your own perspective and mental health. A few tips are given below:
• Take regular breaks
Spending some time away from the elderly person you are looking after will give you the chance to relax and be away from the pressure of the job. This could be a five minute break from the work or one day off to do something you like. This will give both of you the space required to collect your thoughts and refresh yourselves. This helps to keep sight of your perspective and help to perform your role better.
• Participate in activities that both enjoy
Activities that both enjoy promote bonding and the common interests you share helps to build a strong base for your coexistence. If you are taking care of a stranger, you need to get to know them better. A family member is more familiar with you, so you can spend a relaxing time, together.
• Make arrangements to suit you both
The elderly like their independence and therefore, most of them will not expect you to be present with them throughout the day. There may be others who want you at their beck and call.
You can agree on the times you will drop by to look upon them and how you will be spending the time together. This however, is not applicable to caregivers at the retirement or nursing home.
• Establish a routine
Setting up a routine will help the elderly to know what to expect from you and be comfortable with you. A change in the routine may upset the elderly and incite negative feelings. Most aged people do not like change and a set routine is reassuring for them. This will help you perform your role of caregiver smoothly, and may also prevent any complications that may arise in future.
• Seek professional help
Taking care of an elderly person is stressful to say the least. If you find that this role is leading to depression, then you must speak to a professional counselor who can provide you some help in resolving the problem. Unburdening yourself with a counselor can be a good therapy for depression, and it will help you to continue your role of caregiver.
The tips mentioned above may or may not prove beneficial to you, because it all depends on your individual circumstances. Therefore, the caregiver should study the situation and find out what works best for both.
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