caregiving | Trinity Christian Life Coaching

Importance of Caregiving Support groups

Posted on May 2, 2016August 21, 2016 by trinitychristianlifecoaching

Caregiving can be a very lonely task. After all you spend hours or days with the person being cared for.

During this time family, friends and co-workers may not understand all of the strain and frustration you feel.

These groups are important because they provide an outlet of discussion with other likeminded individuals. These individuals are experiencing the same concerns and struggles and need to vent or talk through their problems.

However, there are groups where you can find support.

A few places to find support include:

Alzheimer’s organization
Church support groups
Facebook groups
Online support groups
Workplace support groups
Meetup Groups

Other places to check include:

Doctor
Local Agency on Aging
Family caregiver support program
Skilled nursing or rehab center

Where have you found caregiving support?

Alzheimer’s is not dumb

Posted on April 25, 2016August 21, 2016 by trinitychristianlifecoaching

Working with Alzheimer and dementia patients, I often witness family and/or staff talking about a person right in front of them.

Things will be said that are demeaning or degrading to the person.

Those with Alzheimer's are more perceptive than we give them credit — Those with Alzheimer’s are more perceptive than we give them credit

Often the attitude is that because the person has Alzheimer’s or dementia, then s/he does not understand what is being said about them.

I’ve discovered through observing my residents that this is not often the case.

Yes, there are times when they may not understand. However, more often than not they understand more than they can express. They understand exactly what is being said about them. This can also show the person how those speaking really care about them.

So as with all things be careful what you say. If the individual did not have Alzheimer’s, would you be saying these things directly to them?

8 Simple Activities for Alzheimer’s

Posted on April 18, 2016August 24, 2016 by trinitychristianlifecoaching

Even simple things are enjoyable for someone with Alzheimer’s. Often they can do these and there is not a lot of stress or expectation in these activities.

This can include:

Many Alzheimer's patients find joy in baby dolls — Many Alzheimer’s patients find joy in baby dolls

Singing a song
Clapping hands
Playing with a baby doll
Having an ice cream cone
Enjoying a hand or shoulder massage
Having a special treat
A visit from a loved one
Time with a child or pet

While this may seem very simple for us, for a person with Alzheimer’s it can be a big deal. Such a simple act can be very special to our loved one.

What simple acts are special for your loved one?

9 Tips for Hiring caregivers

Posted on April 11, 2016August 24, 2016 by trinitychristianlifecoaching

Hiring good caregivers can be a challenge.

A few things you can do is:

Make the right decision in hiring a caregiver

Make a list of what is needed and expected
Interview the candidate
Determine if the person will be a good fit with your loved one
Know what you can afford to pay
Determine other responsibilities person has outside of work
Check background and references
Make sure can work hours needed
Check for any possible irritants {such as smoking, etc}
Go with your gut

What questions do you ask when hiring caregivers?

13 Ways to Reduce Stress

Posted on April 4, 2016August 24, 2016 by trinitychristianlifecoaching

Last week, I discussed the stresses of caregiving and how it can affect your health.

So what are some ways you can reduce stress?

Take time for yourself
Make list of what needs to be done
Prioritize
Be willing to say “no”
Ask for help and then accept the help
Stay physically active
Keep a sense of humor
Research caregiving resources in your community
Don’t feel guilty
Don’t try to be “perfect”
Join a support group
Make time for family and friends
Above all, make time for yourself

How do you deal with the stress of caregiving?

9 Symptoms of Caregiver Stress

Posted on March 28, 2016August 24, 2016 by trinitychristianlifecoaching

Caregiving is very stressful for caregivers.

Caregiver stress can lead to:

Caregiving is stressful. We need to remember to care for ourselves.

Exhaustion
Anger
Guilt
Loneliness
Depression and anxiety
Health issues
Higher levels of obesity
Weaker immune system
More long term medical problems

As a caregiver, it is important to remember that you matter. We must take care of ourselves in order to properly care for our loved ones.

Dealing with Family issues

Posted on March 21, 2016August 24, 2016 by trinitychristianlifecoaching

Time and again I hear about various family issues with families.

This can run the gamut from one child carrying the burden of caregiving alone to money and legal issues.

Caregiving is very tiring and taxing.

On top of this many caregivers are working jobs and caring for families in addition to their caregiving duties.

Caregiving takes a village. The more people on your team that can share the burden, the easier it is for everyone.

However, that is seldom the case and often one or two people are left with the burden all on their own.

So what can you do if you need help?

Be honest and ask
Explain the situation and needs to others
Hire a team if you’re able to

Sadly, there are times when no solution is found between other parties. I hear stories where this is the case on an almost daily basis.

I wish I could provide a solution. However, the only answer I have is to pray and seek God’s guidance.

7 Ways Personality emphasized in Alzheimer’s

Posted on March 14, 2016August 24, 2016 by trinitychristianlifecoaching

I’ve discovered that with personality traits and characteristics from childhood and adulthood are often intensified and emphasized in dementia and Alzheimer’s patients.

These can include a variety of personality characteristics. Some that I’ve seen are:

Wanting attention
OCD tendencies
Meekness
Neatness
Sweetness
Irritations
Food likes and dislikes

In what ways have you seen the personality emphasized due to dementia?

5 Simple reasons Alzheimer’s are happy

Posted on March 7, 2016August 24, 2016 by trinitychristianlifecoaching

We’ve all heard the saying the simple things make us happy.

This seems to even be more true with the elderly.

They don’t care about how much clout a person has, the money in the back, the reputation, etc.

What they know is:

They are loved
They are wanted
They are protected
They are care for
They are safe

What little things make your loved one happy?

10 Memory Stimulating exercises

Posted on February 29, 2016August 24, 2016 by trinitychristianlifecoaching

Stimulating the mind and memory are great tools for dementia and Alzheimer’s patient. Even in the most advanced stages they can do simple task.

The interest and ability of each person is different, however some suggestions are:

Checkers
Tic tac toe
Cards—Uno, Old Maid, etc.
Puzzles—even if it is the simple 10 piece puzzle
Word Search Puzzles
Fill in the Blanks—we will take a familiar hymn, song or piece of scripture and remove 1-2 words to allow the patient to fill in the blanks {ex. For God so loved the {world}; How {Great} thou art; Jesus love {me}}
Music—often songs bring back memories of days gone by
Computer based games such as Smartbrain
Dominoes or Qwirkle
Household Chores—this is great for more advances cased. Simple task such as folding socks or washcloths, planting seeds, mixing ingredients, dusting, etc.

What exercises do you use to stimulate the mind?

Interruptions in daily routine

Posted on February 15, 2016August 24, 2016 by trinitychristianlifecoaching

Many people enjoy their routine, whether they are children, adults or the elderly.

Sometimes interrupting a daily routine can be confusing for the elderly. This is especially true with dementia and Alzheimer’s patients.

This can lead to increased agitation and confusion.

Make a note of when there is increased agitation and confusion. Are there interruptions that brought this about?

How do you deal with interruptions to your routine?

The importance of Fellowship and Outings in the Elderly

Posted on February 8, 2016August 24, 2016 by trinitychristianlifecoaching

Just because we are getting older, does not mean we don't need fellowship with our peers — Just because we are getting older, does not mean we don’t need fellowship with our peers

We all need fellowship with our friends and peers.

I’ve met some families that long to constantly take family members out. I’ve met other family members that refuse to take their family members out, although it is enjoyable for that person.

There are instances when it is not possible to have outings, such as if the person is bed bound.

However, short outings are encouraged for the elderly.

Doing so gets them out and about and allows them to interrupt with others.

Socialization is important for the elderly. This is one of the benefits of adult day care, retirement centers or skilled nursing care.

However, even if a person is home bound short outings are still good for them.

These can include:

Going out to eat
Riding into town and back
A walk through nature {or a ride}
Having a friend visit
Family gatherings
Doctor visits
Personal Care Outings {Hair, Nails, etc.}

How do you help your loved one have fellowship and outings?

The Elderly Need a Lot of Sleep

Posted on February 1, 2016August 24, 2016 by trinitychristianlifecoaching

Working with the elderly, I’ve discovered one thing. They all need a lot of sleep.

The amount of sleep is different for each person.

There is no set age when this sets in.

There are numerous factors that play into these factors, such as

effects of medicine
diseases they have been diagnosed with {Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, etc}
activity level
age
the more activity wears them out the more rest they usually need {for example if just getting in and out of car or going out to eat is too much, then they may sleep for a while upon return}

Just as young children need a lot of sleep, so do the elderly.

They need the time to rest and rejuvenate their system.

There are times when their agitation or moods may be enhanced due to the lack of rest and sleep needed.

How much does your loved one sleep?

7 Ways to Calm Agitation in Alzheimer’s

Posted on January 25, 2016August 24, 2016 by trinitychristianlifecoaching

I shared recently about how Alzheimer’s patients can become fixated on various things.

Alzheimer’s patients can easily become agitated.

So what do you do when nothing works to redirect your loved ones?

Use a lot of patience
Try a change of scenery {go to another room or outside}
Continue to keep trying to redirect and divert attention
See if softly singing or playing a CD will help
Walk out of the room and see if being left alone helps {sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn’t}
Pray for patience and guidance. I’ve even prayed over a person and find that this often works.
Create a calm environment and allow to get some sleep. This often leads to increased agitation.

How do you calm agitation when nothing else works?

Ways to Volunteer at a nursing home

Posted on January 18, 2016August 24, 2016 by trinitychristianlifecoaching

Are you looking for a way to volunteer?

Sadly, senior adults are often over looked when it comes to the volunteer pool.

Working in a skilled nursing facility I can assure you we are in great needs for volunteers.

Some ways you can help are:

Senior adults love to have someone to talk with or assist them in various tasks

Performance {music, dance, etc}
Present a class on a hobby or interest
Help with special events
Offer to help with regular activities {Bingo, various games, etc}
Read to residents
Help residents write a letter
Bring a Pet {you will need to provide verification of shots}
Beauty Regiment {Polish Nails, Hand Massage, Make up}
Provide books and magazines
Provide supplies for arts and crafts
Plant and maintain a garden
Donate supplies to be used as a giveaway {Mystery Auction, Bingo Store, Let’s Make a Deal, etc.}

Contact the activities office and inquire about ways you can help out.

An hour a week or a month is a huge help.

How do you volunteer with seniors?

Dealing with Hallucinations in Alzheimer’s

Posted on January 11, 2016August 24, 2016 by trinitychristianlifecoaching

I had one lady that often saw people were not there. There were times when she would have conversations with them for hours on end.

Often these conversations were very informative and entertaining.

Those with dementia often experience hallucinations

Hallucinations are common for those with Alzheimer’s and dementia.

There are a variety of reasons but the most common are the interaction of medicines and the disease.

However, I’ve also spent enough time with Alzheimer’s patients that I believe they often see things we can’t see. For some reason, they’re able to see the veil between our world and the spirit world that is hidden from the rest of us.

I’ve seen some family members and CNAs argue and try to convince the resident that no one is there. However, this often leads to more agitation.

So instead, just listen and love your new one.

Who knows what new friends your loved ones may introduce you to?

How have you dealt with hallucinations in a loved one?