Many people who care for
someone with loss of autonomy due to old age don’t often realize the importance
of their role. Although many people believe that lending a hand to a family
member or a close friend is only normal, they are unaware that the series of helpful
tasks they perform is actually called “caregiving”. Not recognizing this role
tends to undervalue much of the care and the work involved.
Being a caregiver can be
gratifying, however it often involves enormous responsibilities as well as a major
life adjustment. Caregivers can find themselves missing work, managing less
income, running errands, struggling with space in the household, as well as spending
less time with family and friends. Furthermore, caregivers may have to redefine
household chores, be able to manage crises, watch the diet as well as deal with
mental and physical limitations and facilitate rehabilitation of the person
that they’re caring for. A caregiver’s role can have an impact on sexuality,
friendships, socializing and time alone. As the tasks and the responsibilities
increase with time so do the fatigue and stress that can often lead to
exhaustion. For those who have a limited family network or have difficulty in
asking for or accepting help, caregiving can become an isolating experience.
If you assist your loved
with one or more daily tasks such as shopping, personal hygiene, getting
dressed, preparing meals, providing transportation, managing financial matters,
making appointments, providing moral support, etc., you are a caregiver. Recognizing yourself as a caregiver is the
first step to seeking the crucial support and making a positive difference in
the quality of your life as well as those those surrounding you.
By
having a better understanding of your role as a caregiver and how it can impact
your life, you’ll be better equipped to avoid/handle anxiety and/or depression. This will also allow you to have a balanced
life style and overall well-being. The key is not to try to change everything
at once, but to make small adjustments overtime to determine what works best
for you.
Here are a few suggestions to help overcome the barriers and improve your caregiving experience;
- Allow
yourself to ask for support rather than wait for someone to offer their
assistance. The worst thing that can happen is getting turned down. Generally,
people are glad to be of service.
- Express
your needs to your network of people. Let them know that you’re grateful for
their help even if their work isn’t done perfectly. You can always mention at a later time the
improvements that you would like to see.
- Include
and accept what each individual in your network has to offer. They could become indispensable at a time when you need them the most. Everyone around us satisfies our different needs;
some are excellent confidants while others are great at lending a hand. For
instance, some people would gladly share a tool rather than talk about feelings or illnesses.
- Inform
yourself about the various resources in your vicinity and make use of their
services.
For support, information and references, dial
Info-aidant, the free caregivers helpline of l’Appui pour les proches aidants Laval at 1 (855) 852-7793. Diane Lauzon, a qualified caregiver’s
specialist will see to your needs along the way by offering a personalized
service in answering your questions concerning various topics such as learning
sessions, conferences, support groups, tax credits for caregivers, free income
tax declarations, mandates in case of incapacity, transportation, moratorium,
home services, nursing homes and much more.
L’Appui’s mission is to help
improve the caregiver’s quality of life.
Their website at www.lappuilaval.org provides
answers, tips, information and local resources, as well as a monthly bilingual
newsletter containing helpful tools and all the latest local news and activities
related to caregiving.
Written and translated by Diane Lauzon, B.Sc.
psychosocial counselor at the Info-aidant caregivers help line at
L’Appui pour les proches aidants Laval.
Source;
FORTIN, Bruno (2006). Intervenir en
santé mentale. Nouv. Ed. rev. Et augm. Fides, Québec, 387 p.
For more information;
Laval; 1-855-852-7793
Laurentians; 1-855-852-7795
Lanaudière; 1-855-852-7784
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