Last week we discussed the basic skills necessary for the family caregiver. In this week's article, we'll discuss the skill set that is essential for paid home healthcare workers.
When dementia patients are asked if they would prefer to age at home and receive dementia care in their own home, most will respond with a resounding YES! The fact is, staying at home and providing dementia care 24/7 cannot be done alone by the family caregiver. Enter the home healthcare worker.
Home healthcare is a multi-billion dollar industry in the United States and around the world. Despite the sheer volume of dollars flowing, quality of home healthcare varies widely. Regrettably, the home healthcare industry all too often struggles to meet proper dementia care guidelines. They fall short essentially by providing a “baby sitting” services instead of the services required by family caregivers and the patients. So, how can you tell if a home healthcare worker is qualified to care for your loved one?
There are three essential things that predicate how well a dementia home healthcare worker performs:
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Hearing that a loved one has dementia, maybe even Alzheimer’s, for the first time and having to take care of that individual is the most upsetting news anyone can receive.
- Where do I start?
- Can I keep my loved one safe?
- How will I manage the specialized support and care that's necessary?
The first thing you should know is that you are not alone. These are three most common questions that come to mind for new family caregivers. But those questions and their answers are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. There are many new skills you will want to familiarize yourself with. Below are ten basic dementia care skills for you as you begin this journey together with your loved one:
- Learn how to “Speak Alzheimer’s” early and fluently - you will need it regularly and from the very beginning of your caregiving.
- Learn about the various stages of dementia as soon as possible at remembering4you.com.
- Get organized and establish systems to keep medical and behavior records.
- Familiarize yourself with the caregiver fatigue timeline.
- Ask other family and friends for help to support you. Nobody can work 24/7, trust me.
FOLLOW Dr. Lord's articles on LinkedIn
FOLLOW ICA on Twitter: @ICAcares
GET TIPS & ADVICE on Facebook
CONTACT ICA: on the ICA Website