Ten Tips For Patients

Ten tips for improving your quality of life when you can’t manage alone

1. Get the help you need.

The more support you have the more comfortable you’re going to be. Let your family members know you need them to help out as much as they can, but don’t overburden them. Call VNA Health Care, to find out about home health services appropriate for your situation. (contact us) You may also want to consider adult day centers or “weekend getaways” at a nearby extended care facility. Many of them have weekend programs that include nice meals and activities.

2. Be prepared.

You should make sure you have everything you need close at hand so you can function as well as possible. Ask a family member to help you organize your medical supplies and medications.

3. Stay positive.

Your physical well-being is greatly affected by your state-of-mind. Watch for signs of depression and ask for help. Talking to friends and family can help, but if your depression does not improve, get professional help.

4. Exercise as much as your condition allows.

Exercise helps our bones, particularly our joint bones and the bones of the spinal column, rebuild and repair themselves as they should. Strong muscles help protect your joints and spinal column, improve your posture and balance, increase your mobility, and reduce the likelihood of falls and other accidents.

5. Make the necessary safety modifications for your home.

By making some minor adjustments to your home, you may be able to move about more freely and comfortably. Consider the following: grab bars in the bathroom, shower seats, non-skid strips in the tub or shower, levers to replace faucet handles, ramps at your home’s entry, insulation for better temperature control and handrails in hallways.

6. Take precautions against falling.

Older people and people recovering from illness or injury are at a greater risk for injuries caused by falling. Prevent falls by following these basic guidelines:

• When you first wake up, sit on the edge of the bed and make sure you are not dizzy before you get out of bed.
• Eat breakfast every morning. Skipping a meal could make you dizzy.
• Be careful around pets - they can get in front of your feet or jump on you.
• Use a cane or walker if you are unsteady. Promptly replace worn rubber tips of these devices.
• Never grab a towel rack, shampoo holder or soap tray for support in the shower. These will not hold a person's weight.
• Let the soap suds go down the drain before you move around in the shower.
• Do not turn suddenly.
• If you are prone to falling, use a shower chair and a handheld shower attachment.
• Clean up puddles of water immediately.
• Do not lock the bathroom door. That will delay help in reaching you.
• When on a stairway, never carry any package that will obstruct your view of the next step.
• Keep at least one hand on the handrail when climbing or descending a stairway.
• Concentrate on what you are doing; don't be distracted by sounds.
• Arrange clothes in your closet so they are easy to reach.

7. Maintain a healthy diet.

Good nutrition is vital for recovery and sustaining energy. If you are on a restricted diet, stick to it. If you are free to eat what you like, balance your food intake with your physical activity and don’t skip meals. Eating a variety of foods will make meal time more enjoyable. Make sure you include plenty of grain products, vegetables and fruits and try to limit saturated fats and sugars. You should eat at least five servings of fruit and vegetables per day.

8. Wash your hands.

You can prevent colds and infections by washing your hands often and thoroughly. Contagious viruses are usually transmitted from person to person through hand-to-hand contact. Hand washing is the single most important means of preventing the spread of infection.

9. Have a plan for emergencies.

Make sure you have a way to contact a family member or other caregiver in case of an emergency. Keep your phone nearby when you are home alone. Decide who is the best person to contact and ask someone to pre-program your phone for instant dialing to that number. Chose a speed-dial number that’s easy to remember or secure a piece of paper with that number to all of your phones. Consider getting an emergency response system that links you instantly to professionals who can assist you or send help to your home. LifeLine is available through VNA Health Care (Click here to contact LifeLine.)

10. Stay connected and have some fun.

Make sure you continue as many of the activities you enjoy as you possibly can. Don’t be afraid to ask your friends or family members to assist you in selecting books, renting movies or just taking you out for an outing. Feel free to suggest activities you can enjoy with companions and schedule time to do them. If you can’t get out, invite someone over to play cards or watch a movie or talk over tea and cookies. Don’t expect everyone else to stay in touch with you and don’t despair when your phone doesn’t ring. Make the first move. Remember, you are good company. Let other people enjoy it!

Ten Tips for Your Caregivers

If a friend or family member is helping you with your care, you might want to share these ten tips for improving a caregiver’s quality of life.

1. Take Care of Yourself First.

If you want to give good care, you have to take care of yourself first. Caregivers tend to deny their own needs. The best way to prevent the depression, frustration and resentment that cause caregiver burnout is to hold back some time out of every day for yourself. Don’t wait until all of your chores and caregiving tasks are done before doing things for yourself. You will run out of time. Instead, decide on the minimum amount of time you need each day to meet your basic personal needs. Carve that time out of your schedule. Then figure out how the chores and caregiving will get done.

2. Don’t try to do it alone.

You may think you are the only available source of help, but remember, the more support you have the more successful you’re going to be. Let your family members know you expect them to help out as much as they can. Call VNA Health Care to find out about home health services appropriate for your situation. (contact us) You may also want to consider adult day centers or a “weekend getaway” for your loved one at a nearby extended care facility.

3. Get regular exercise.

Exercise can be a good energizer for both physical and emotional health. Even just a few minutes several times a day will provide positive results.

4. Maintain a healthy diet.

When you are busy giving care, it may seem easier to eat fast food than to prepare healthy, low-fat meals. However, healthy meals can be easy to prepare, and a good diet will give you more energy to carry you through the day.

5. Make time for an activity you enjoy.

Make sure you make the time for things you like to do, even if you can only do them for a few minutes each day. If you like to participate in church activities or take classes, ask a friend, family member, VNA Health Care volunteer or staff member to stay with your loved one for an hour or two once or twice a week so you can do those things.

6. Recognize and deal with stress and depression.

Your need for relaxation increases while you are spending time as a caregiver. Learn to identify signs that you are feeling stressed and take steps to relieve those feelings. Depression is also common among caregivers. It is important for you and your loved one that you maintain a positive self-image. Ask for extra support from family and friends if you notice early signs of depression. If it doesn’t improve, get professional help.

7. Get rid of guilt.

You can't be everything to everyone all of the time. Acknowledge your limitations and focus on what is most important. Tell yourself that you are doing a good job at a very difficult task and ask for help when you need it. Feeling guilty is often a sign that you need a break from your caregiving schedule. Ask your friends and family to pitch in.

8. Don’t help too much.

Providing too much care is one of the biggest mistakes caregivers make. While they may not always admit it, people like to help themselves. Every time you do something that your loved one could have done without help, you’ve wasted energy that could be better spent and your loved one missed an opportunity to feel competent. While your expectations should be realistic, the more you expect, the more your loved one will do. Your job is to make it as easy as possible and remember that mistakes are going to happen and that’s okay.

9. Acknowledge your limitations.

In the beginning you may try to do more than is humanly possible. By focusing on what is most important for your loved one and ignoring the nagging little things that need to get done, you will have more emotional and physical energy to devote to your loved one’s pressing needs. Delegate chores and tasks whenever possible or get assistance from local agencies. VNA Health Care can provide many domestic services in addition to professional nursing care. There are also Friendly Visitor volunteers available through VNA Health Care. (contact us)

10. Give yourself the credit you deserve.

You should take pride in your efforts as a caregiver. It’s not easy to be responsible for another’s well-being and comfort, and those who do it well are very special people. Reward yourself when you need a lift. Go out to dinner. Get a massage — anything that makes you feel good. You deserve it.