Family senior caregivers make a tremendous difference in the livelihood of the seniors they care for. Many times, as parents age or develop medical conditions, they require additional care that you may have not anticipated. In this circumstance, it can be hard to adapt to your new role as a caregiver when you have little-to-no experience providing care for the senior in your life.
Franklin Park® Senior Living has luxury senior living communities throughout San Antonio, Texas, and we understand that being a caregiver for a family member can be challenging. We want to highlight a few key skills that caregivers have that their beloved family members appreciate dearly.
1. Communication
Excellent communication skills are a must-have trait for caregivers, both verbal and written. Your loved one relies on you to assist them with many of their daily tasks, schedule appointments, and inform them about their medications. You may have to communicate with nurses, doctors, and other professionals, who will likely pass on the information and issue directives regarding your loved one.
While providing care to your parent or family member, there will be a multitude of confusing messages, misleading information, and conflicting opinions that need to be disseminated and relayed to the person you’re caring for.
2. Time Management
Do you ever wonder how some people seem to get so much done in so little time? Chances are, they have exceptional time management skills. Having superb time management skills is helpful for just about anyone. It comes naturally to some, but the rest of us can learn. For a caregiver, it just might be the most critical skill that you can improve upon. The lessons learned with time management can make your caregiving journey and life itself more enjoyable!
3. Cleanliness
Maintaining your loved one’s home is essential when acting as their caregiver. Keeping the home clean can help avoid slips and falls, as well as cramped living quarters. When your loved one’s home is unkempt, it poses a safety risk and does not display an appealing first impression for guests and other visitors.
If your family member is unable to clean their home, make sure to let them know that you’re willing to help them. Many times, they will avoid burdening you with additional chores, but if you’re offering to help them, they may be more willing to accept your assistance!
4. Organization
Does your family member know where everything is in their travel bag? What about the first aid kit or fire extinguisher in their home? Do they have important medications in a safe cabinet? Having a safe place for everything and everything in their right place can help make your caregiver journey a smooth and safe experience.
Having everything in the correct place is very important for senior care. What if in an unfortunate emergency event and you can’t find everything you need? When every second counts and can make a difference, you’ll want to be able to get your hands on exactly what you need when you need it!
5. Empathy
Many of the seniors being cared for are undergoing mental and or physical challenges of their own. Showing compassion and being able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes helps you gain more of an understanding of their issues.
Being a caregiver is tough because loved ones may be critical, losing their memory, recovering from surgery, and might require extensive assistance in their daily routine. Senior caregivers need to remain calm in these situations and remain empathetic to support their loved one. Showing empathy and compassion may not be a difficult trait to learn, but it is extremely critical in a senior caregiver’s line of work.
Caregivers make a genuine difference in the lives of their loved ones and their families, and knowing the first steps to take in order to become a better senior caregiver can make life that much more enjoyable!
To learn more about Franklin Park® Senior Living and our luxury senior care communities throughout San Antonio, please visit our website!