Category: Caregiver

Caregiving entails many responsibilities, and one of the most important of these is to know what to do in the event of an emergency. Whether you’re new to caregiving or you’ve been tending to your senior loved one’s needs for years, being prepared to provide first aid can give you greater confidence as you manage your responsibilities. Here are the top things you should do now to ensure your loved one will receive prompt attention in an emergency situation.

Take a CPR & First Aid Class 

During an emergency, it’s possible your loved one may stop breathing or experience a disruption in his or her heartbeat. Injuries due to a fall or laceration could also require you to provide first aid while you wait for medical help. By taking a CPR and first aid course, you’ll know how to care for your loved one while minimizing the potential damage to his or her health. Keep in mind that it’s important to practice your skills regularly, and most CPR instructors recommend taking a refresher course every two years.

If you’re concerned about your parent experiencing an emergency when you aren’t there to help, hiring a home caregiver can give you peace of mind. Many older adults are choosing to age in place, and some need a helping hand to continue living at home safely and comfortably. Luckily, there is professional at-home care seniors can trust and rely on.

Stock Your First Aid Kit

Prepare for minor incidents with a first aid kit full of medical supplies. For a small kit, you need basic items like disposable gloves, bandages, antibiotic ointment, hydrocortisone cream, alcohol swabs, gauze pads, scissors, tissues, tweezers, and small packs of aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and naproxen. Store the items in a plastic container. Alternatively, buy an assembled kit, which you can find at any pharmacy.

Although many people have first aid kits in their houses and cars, it’s common for supplies to be taken out without being replaced. Take a few minutes each month to assess the first aid kit and add any supplies that may be needed. In addition to adding bandages and gauze, make sure to check the expiration dates on antiseptics and ointments.

Create an Emergency Contact List

In an emergency, it may be necessary to contact medical personnel, family members, and others who can provide assistance, but you may not be able to recall essential numbers while under stress. By creating an emergency contact list, you can quickly locate the phone numbers you need. Place the list in your loved one’s home and on your phone, and make sure other caregivers know where it’s located. This way, you’ll have every possible situation covered so you can provide emergency care to your loved one.

One of the most challenging tasks of helping an elderly relative age in place safely and comfortably is researching agencies that provide homecare services. Oshkosh families can turn to Senior Stride Home Care for reliable, high-quality in-home care for aging adults. We offer 24-hour live-in care for seniors who require extensive assistance, and we also offer respite care for family caregivers who need a break from their caregiving duties.

Prepare a Bag for Emergencies

As a caregiver, it’s important to be prepared for unexpected developments at all times. You should plan ahead and have a bag packed and ready for events such as natural disasters and visits to the emergency room. This bag should contain items such as:

• Your loved one’s medical information (e.g., conditions, medications, and physician contact info)
• A pill organizer with a 7-day supply of your parent’s medications
• Incontinence supplies
• A change of clothing and pajamas
• Hand sanitizer and baby wipes
• Your first aid kit

Preparedness is an important part of your role as a family caregiver. It’s also vital to make sure you set aside time to recharge so you can provide better care for your loved one. In Oshkosh, respite care is a great help to many families. Caring for a senior loved one can be overwhelming at times, which puts family caregivers at risk for burnout. However, an in-home caregiver can take over your loved one’s care, allowing you the time you need to focus on your own health, maintain a full-time job, or care for other members of your family. Rely on the professionals at Senior Stride Home Care to provide high-quality compassionate care for your loved one. Give us a call today at 920-717-1767 to learn about our flexible in-home care plans.

Family members are often eager to step up to care for their senior loved ones. While they may start off full of energy, they soon find they feel more tired than they imagined was possible. Caregiver fatigue can have several causes, and each one has a solution to help you regain your vitality.

1. Having More Chores to Tackle

The average person already has a lot on his or her plate. Before becoming a caregiver, you likely had household tasks to tend to each day. Now, your daily workload might have doubled. Trying to keep up with the extra demand created by caring for another person is simply exhausting. If possible, look for a chore or two you can take off your plate. Being able to opt out of cooking a meal once or twice a week can feel like a major burden has been lifted from your shoulders.

Families who need help caring for a senior loved one can turn to Senior Stride Home Care, a leading provider of elderly home care. Services available in our customizable care plans include meal prep, mental and social stimulation, assistance with personal hygiene tasks, and much more.

2. Managing Fear & Anxiety

Your physical feelings of exhaustion might be linked to your mental health. Many people constantly worry about what might go wrong each day. For instance, you may be worried about your loved one having an accident on your watch, or you may be stressing out over his or her recent health test results. Try to identify times when you’re feeling anxious so you can implement coping strategies. Mindfulness can help you ease the worry you feel each day.

3. Being Required to Lift a Senior

Seniors often need more help as time goes by, and this means you may be called upon to help them do things such as get out of bed. Lifting your loved one isn’t something you should try to do by yourself. While you might lend support as your loved one moves mostly independently, you need to ask for help when he or she requires you to support most of his or her body weight to prevent you from overtaxing your muscles. In addition to giving you more energy, you’ll also reduce the chances of a caregiver injury.

4. Getting Less Sleep

Think back to the last time you got at least eight hours of sleep. If it’s been a while, your loved one needs overnight care. Your loved one’s frequent bathroom trips or tendency to wander around the house late at night might be interfering with your energy levels more than you realize. An overnight caregiver can manage those needs while you catch up on your sleep.

Professional caregivers can be a wonderful source of information and support for family members caring for aging loved ones. When researching agencies that provide home care service, Oshkosh, WI, families are usually looking for flexible care plans, compassionate and highly trained caregivers, and 24/7 availability. Whether you need respite care to take a break from your caregiving duties or your senior loved one needs around-the-clock assistance at home, you can rely on Senior Stride Home Care.

5. Developing Caregiver Burnout

You can love your parent and still be overwhelmed by everything involved with his or her care. Caregiver burnout tends to occur over time, and you may not notice you’re experiencing it until you don’t have the energy to complete your daily responsibilities. Caregiver burnout can sometimes feel like depression, but it’s different. Depression can accompany caregiver burnout. If you feel like burnout might be your problem, hiring a professional counselor can help. You may also need to accept assistance with your duties to help you effectively manage burnout. 

Whether you need respite from your caregiving duties or your aging loved one needs live-in care, Oshkosh, WI, Senior Stride Home Care can meet your family’s care needs. Our dedicated caregivers are available around the clock to provide transportation to doctor’s appointments, ensure seniors take their prescribed medications, and help with a variety of tasks in and outside the home. Call one of our dedicated Care Managers today at 920-717-1767 to learn about the high quality of our in-home care services.

The AARP reports that nearly 40 million people in the United States provide ongoing care for an older loved one. To commemorate individuals who lovingly provide care to older family members, November has been designated National Family Caregivers Month. There are many ways families can celebrate the month with a family member or friend who has assumed the role of caregiver.

Offer Assistance

Consider giving the family caregiver a break by stepping in and assuming his or her responsibilities for a few hours, a whole day, or an entire week. Free time enables caregivers to catch up on other responsibilities. They might also take the time to rejuvenate, relax, and indulge in stress-relieving activities.

Caregivers may benefit from having one or more individuals help out by performing grocery shopping duties, running errands, or providing transportation on a regular basis. Consider helping the caregiver organize tasks, or offer to assist with record-keeping needs. Receiving help from a network of loved ones can lower stress.

Having a professional caregiver come into the home and take on the role is another option. Oshkosh respite care professionals can assist seniors with a wide array of daily tasks, offering family caregivers the chance to focus on other personal responsibilities or take a break to prevent burnout. Whether it’s for a few hours a day or a few days a week, respite care is the perfect solution for family caregivers who are feeling overwhelmed.

Have a Party

Consider hosting a party for the special caregiver in your family’s life. All who attend can express their gratitude for everything the person does to care for his or her senior loved one. Plan the event around the caregiver’s normal duties, or have someone step in to take his or her place. Other ideas might include presenting a commemorative gift as a sign of appreciation. Depending on the number of caregivers one or more families want to celebrate, consider hosting a dinner and a night out on the town.

Show Your Appreciation with a Card

Families touched by a family caregiver may want to consider combining forces to show their appreciation by showering the caregiver with encouraging cards and mementos. The small tokens may lift the caregiver’s spirits and reinforce the knowledge that the tasks he or she performs don’t go unnoticed and are highly regarded.

Create a Caregiving Calendar

Gather photographs of the caregiver’s friends and family members or special moments and create a special 12-month calendar. Calendars enable caregivers to keep track of appointments and other obligations. The faces of loved ones also remind them that their efforts are appreciated and they remain loved and in people’s thoughts.

Provide Financial Support

Consider hosting a fundraiser. Have friends and family pitch in to help the caregiver cover the out-of-pocket expenses he or she often incurs in addition to providing care. Allow the caregiver to decide how the proceeds might be most helpful. 

Your caregiver friend may be even more financially stressed because he or she is helping a loved one who has an illness. Living with a serious health condition can make it challenging for seniors to age in place. However, they can maintain a higher quality of life with the help of professional live-in care. Oshkosh seniors can benefit from assistance with meal prep, bathing, transportation to the doctor’s office, medication reminders, and much more.

Seek Support from the Community

Friends and family members of caregivers should encourage local businesses to join them in an effort to commemorate the month. Businesses might offer a free meal or movie. They might also provide discounts for their services or products. Some local venues could pool their resources to host a special commemorative event.

One final thing you can do is offer to help your friend find professionals who can care for his or her loved one. When searching for reliable Oshkosh senior care agencies, families want to know their senior loved one will be well taken care of. At Senior Stride Home Care, our expertly trained caregivers are available around the clock to assist with tasks around the house, provide transportation to medical appointments and social events, and much more. To talk to one of our Care Managers, call 920-717-1767 today.

As a family caregiver, it is normal to feel a twinge of jealousy when you hear about a friend’s weeklong vacation. However, allowing these brief moments of jealousy to add up could lead to feelings of resentment. While you might not be able to do things the way you used to, you can use the following strategies to address feelings of jealousy so you can keep a positive perspective regarding your responsibilities as a caregiver.

Remember Your Reasons for Caregiving

When you feel jealous, it is easy to forget the positive parts of being a caregiver. As soon as you notice a niggling feeling of resentment creeping in, take a time out to reflect upon the reasons you became a caregiver. For instance, you may look forward to strengthening your relationship with your parent, or you may simply know that he or she is happier when you are around. Once you have your reasons figured out, write them down so you can refer to them when things are stressful again.

Caring for a senior loved one can be a challenging task, which can put caregivers at risk of a variety of negative emotions. Families who need help caring for a senior loved one can turn to Senior Stride Home Care, a leading provider of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, home care. Services available in our customizable care plans include meal prep, mental and social stimulation, assistance with personal hygiene tasks, and much more.

Identify the Real Issue

Examine your feelings to determine if there is something else exacerbating your response to hearing about a friend or family member’s good news. For example, you might feel jealous after hearing about your best friend’s spa day. Once you figure out the deeper meaning behind your feelings, you will have a better idea of how to go about fixing the real issue.

Family caregivers can manage some of the emotional challenges of caregiving by hiring professional in-home care experts. Though you may be researching multiple home care agencies, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Senior Stride Home Care has much to offer your family and your elderly loved one. We are leaders in the senior home care industry, offering proprietary programs like our holistic Balanced Care Method and around-the-clock assistance from reliable, experienced caregivers. Trust in Senior Stride Home Care to help your loved one enjoy a happier and healthier life in the golden years.

Practice Self-Care

Negative emotions may get worse when you are physically exhausted or ill. Make sure to go to bed at the right time each night to wake up feeling rested. You may also need to include snacks in your daily meal plan if you find yourself feeling hungry. Once you’ve taken care of the basics, add in a few pampering treatments each week. Even if you just get a fresh haircut or spend a minute rubbing scented lotion into your hands, these brief bouts of happiness may make it easier to fend off jealousy.

Use Caution with Social Media

People tend to put only the best parts of their life on social media, which can give you a skewed perspective. If you find yourself feeling jealous as you scroll through people’s profile feeds, then simply take a break. You may also find it helpful to remember there is often more going on than people are posting publicly, and everyone has some type of stress in their lives.

Reach Out for Support

Constantly managing your elderly loved one’s mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing may be difficult at times, and it could lead to caregiver burnout. Reach out for support and arrange for respite care services so you can get time to yourself and remain healthy.

If you are the primary caregiver for a senior family member and you need respite care, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Senior Stride Home Care is here to help. Our respite caregivers are trained to assist older adults with a wide variety of everyday tasks, including meal prep, physical activity, and personal hygiene. We also provide 24-hour care and specialized care for seniors with Alzheimer’s, dementia, and Parkinson’s. For more information and to schedule a complimentary consultation, please call one of our knowledgeable Care Managers at 920-717-1767 today.

Good family caregivers understand things will not always go as planned. If you are a perfectionist, you could face difficulty managing your caregiving duties and likely experience burnout. You need to realize you cannot control everything, and it is best to let certain things go. Here are some of the reasons perfectionism leads to caregiver burnout. 

1. Constant Fear 

Family caregivers who are perfectionists believe they can help their loved ones recover within a specific amount of time. When this doesn’t happen, they experience fear and anxiety. However, if you develop realistic goals for your loved one’s recovery, you will likely not fear the worst when things do not work out as planned. Make sure to speak with your loved one’s doctor to receive information pertaining to your loved one’s illness, treatment options, and recovery statistics. 

Caring for an aging loved one can be a difficult task, especially if you’re overwhelmed with constant fear or other negative emotions. If you are the primary family caregiver for an elderly loved one and need additional assistance providing high-quality home care, Oshkosh Senior Stride Home Care can help. We are a leading home care agency committed to changing the way seniors age.

2. Intolerance to Disorganization 

Perfectionists need to be organized and cannot tolerate messy living conditions. They feel a sense of shame if the home is not in complete order, which is not always the case when caring for seniors, especially if the adults are living with cognitive issues. The disorganization could lead to burnout. When caring for your loved one, remember everything will not always be in perfect order in the home. Consider hiring an in-home caregiver who can help around the home and take some of the responsibility off of you. 

Oshkosh respite care professionals can assist seniors with a wide array of daily tasks, offering family caregivers the chance to focus on other personal responsibilities or take a break to prevent burnout. Whether it’s for a few hours a day or a few days a week, respite care is the perfect solution for family caregivers who are feeling overwhelmed.

3. Exhaustion 

If you are a perfectionist, you may be afraid to allow anyone else to care for your loved one. You want to be with him or her at all times, making sure everything goes according to your plans. With no breaks or no extended time away from your loved one, you will likely become mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausted. Allow other people to assist with the caregiving duties. Trust that others can provide exceptional care for your loved one, just as you do. 

4. Bad Relationships

It can be difficult for a family caregiver and his or her loved one to maintain a strong relationship if the caregiver is a perfectionist. If your expectations are too high, your loved one may feel pressured. As a result, the relationship could become fractured. To prevent detachment and challenging relationships, give your loved one the respect he or she deserves. Remember your loved one is doing the best he or she can, even if it is below your standards. Instead of giving up, allow your loved one to create a routine he or she likes, and remember to be supportive. 

5. Lack of Satisfaction 

Perfectionism prevents caregivers from believing their best is good enough. Instead, they are constantly trying to do better, which could cause stress, anxiety, and burnout. You need to accept you have done your best and be satisfied with the results. Keep in mind your value doesn’t come from achievement. It comes from knowing you have done your best. Your loved one will appreciate you are doing everything possible to help him or her live a happy and healthy life.

Family caregivers who need a break from their caregiving duties to stave off burnout should consider professional in-home care. Although it may be challenging to find a reliable, highly rated home care agency, Oshkosh, WI, families can turn to Senior Stride Home Care. Our respite and live-in caregivers are expertly trained to assist seniors with a wide array of important tasks, including cooking, bathing, light housekeeping, and exercise. For more information and to schedule a complimentary consultation, please call one of our knowledgeable Care Managers at 920-717-1767 today.

Family members who provide Oshkosh home care for a senior loved one are responsible for many factors that ensure the senior receives the best care possible. One aspect family caregivers may not consider involves tax preparation. Caregivers must develop an organized system. Getting ready for tax time requires managing documents and receipts throughout the year. Family caregivers must also take the time to stay informed about the tax implications concerning looking after a senior. In this way, individuals are aware of the tax breaks that might decrease an annual tax bill.

Dependent Claims

If the caregiver and the senior meet certain IRS requirements, the senior might be claimed as a dependent. These stipulations include:

• The senior must be a resident of Canada, Mexico, or the United States.
• The senior cannot file a joint return with his or her spouse.
• The senior must be a relative. However, he or she does not have to live with the caregiver.
• The senior’s income for the year cannot be more than $4,050. Social Security benefits are not included in this sum.
• The caregiver must provide more than half of the senior’s expenses.

Deductible Expenses

The IRS allows family members many different deductions that pertain to providing home care for an older loved one. The long list of deductions include:

• Food
• Clothing
• Housing
• Transportation
• Dental or medical care
• Bathroom and other property alterations required for medical reasons

Deductions also include out-of-pocket expenses for:

• Acupuncture treatments
• Adapters for telephones or TVs for the hearing impaired
• Ambulance service
• Bandages or other medical supply items
• Drug and medical care copays
• Medically required weight-loss programs
• Prescription eyewear
• Prescription medications
• Smoking cessation programs
• Wigs when disease processes or medical treatments cause hair loss

Family caregivers in Oshkosh must keep proof of expenses in the event they become subject to a tax audit. Records are typically kept for a minimum of five years.

Learn more about financial concerns for caregivers by reaching out to Senior Stride Home Care of Oshkosh, a leading provider of live-in and hourly caregivers. Oshkosh families trust in Senior Stride Home Care to provide high-quality senior care on an as-needed basis. Call 920-717-1767 today to speak with one of our qualified Care Managers and schedule a no-obligation consultation.

Oshkosh, WI, senior care agencies know that taking care of an aging relative is hard work. Your day is full of helping your loved one with numerous tasks from bathing and dressing to preparing meals and housekeeping. You may not feel you have time to sit down and journal, but doing so will benefit you in many ways.

Reduces Stress

There’s no doubt that you love your aging parent, but you will inevitably feel angry, frustrated, and anxious from time to time while caring for him or her. These feelings are normal and understandable. Journaling gives you a healthy outlet to express all of your thoughts and feelings to reduce stress.

Helps Solve Problems

Journaling often leads to new insights and perspectives on issues. It also forces you to organize your thoughts, which can help when you’re facing a hurdle. Additionally, journaling helps you clarify your thoughts and feelings regarding the challenge at hand.

Helps You Be More Mindful

When you write in a journal, you are only focusing on the task in front of you. Journaling can help you become more mindful in your daily life, allowing you to focus on each moment you spend with your loved one instead of focusing on the past or the future.

Offers Respite

It’s important to take some time for yourself each day. If you don’t, your mental and physical health will decline. Writing in a journal for 10 or 15 minutes each day is a great way to have some “you time” where you can rest and recharge.

Preserves Memories

Keeping a daily journal creates a written record of events. Later on, you’ll be able to go back and read about the good times you shared with your loved one while you took care of him or her.

Reduces Conflict

Inevitably, you will have disagreements with siblings, doctors, or your loved one regarding his or her care. Writing in a journal allows you to express your thoughts and feelings about frustrating situations without causing conflict. Having this outlet may help you have fewer arguments with your loved one or other family members.

Caregiving is both rewarding and overwhelming. Daily journaling is a great way to take care of yourself so that you can continue to care for your loved one. You can also turn to Senior Stride Home Care of Oshkosh for a helping hand. We provide reliable respite care in Oshkosh that helps your loved one in the comfort of home while you take some time for yourself. Learn more by calling 920-710-CARE (2273) to customize a care plan for your loved one today.